Never Forgetting
by KenshinRC
Summary: (Onegai Teacher/Ranma) A new teacher arrives that intrigues the whole Nerima Wrecking Crew, but what is more concerning it that she is familar to one of them?!!
1. Remembrance

Never Forgetting

Ranma/Onegai Teacher

This story is a fanfic, which means I don't own anything. Read it and be happy or go write your own fanfic.

Chapter 1: Remembrance

            Every school has a purpose, which is to develop a time of learning, a time of education, where everyone sits together and learn about the world. Teachers help their students to develop an imagination, but also the determination to become more than they are. These dreams can come easily if the faculty is willing to help, but there are times when some schools do not have those teachers to develop the children. They lack the guidance of those people that dedicated their lives to make sure everyone of the kids, rich or poor, have enough knowledge to forge the rest of their lives.

            One such school was in Japan, actually more in a city called Nermia Ward. Over there, we have a psycho wannabe samurai ranting and raving in his idiotic Shakespearean language while claiming to be the best in the world. Also there are boys that are having no guidance towards the subjects of life, instead they develop a wild obsession for one girl that basically pulverizes them. Other problems that occur is that delinquency is quite high in that school, so many of the students suddenly feel exhausted after with some teacher who looks like she is a kindergarten, but minutes later, she is an attractive adult that proclaims she will rule out delinquents.

            Of course, that doesn't rule out the fact that there are many individuals who are quite intelligent actually, but never spent time to hone their brain to studying algebra or new languages. Instead their minds are into trying to get as much money as possible to pay the bills at home or just putting up the fists and smashing into any opponents that dare threatens them.

            If there is no discipline, that is because there is no guidance. Guidance not only comes from the teachers, but their superiors as well. Those leaders must keep the teachers in a diligent and hard-working pace to make sure everyone of them is molding the kids to become future scholars of Japan. However, in this school, the principal is a raving lunatic who loves Hawaiian culture; obsession for hair cuts, and basically offers explosive fruits that seem to put fear among the faculty. Even the vice-principal, once a powerful and commanding person, now shirks from his duty since he tried to avoid those pineapples or that shearing scissors.

            This is a horror among the education throughout history. This mistake must be corrected and the kids must be once more in the readiness to dive into the books of knowledge. One must stand up to this fallacy and correct the problems to provide, once more a place of learning and…………someone has.

            "Furinkan High, the place where I was told by my superiors that this place needs to be reeducated in the values of learning."

            The attractive pink-hair individual looked up to stare at the school. She was wearing a short black skirt with a white-collar button up shirt. Along with that was a reddish-orange vest that went over the shirt. She also had some ribbon wrapped around her neck with a bluish gem connected to it. She tilted her small round glasses up as she examined the school. 

            The wind picked up a little as her hair swayed with the wind. She styled her hair to have two long bangs, but there was some hair left in the front to let it hang outwards toward the right side of her face. Behind all that, on the back of her head was two ponytails, but the ponytails were twirled around like a ribbon being spun around. Over all, though the hairstyle was quite uncommon, it made her quite beautiful. She peeked inside the courtyard to see no on around. Probably because the class started, so she better quicken her pace and get to class.

            She quickly entered the main office of Furinkan High and headed up to the secretarial desks. 

            "Um…..ano…….excuse me?"

            An old lady with large-rimmed glasses was staring at a book. She turned her head up to look at the pink-hair lady who was calling towards her.

            "….Yes?"

            "Ano…..I'm…I'm the new teacher here….I was called because one of your teachers was on a sick leave?"

            The old lady grinned slightly as she heard the lady say she was a teacher.

            "Really? So you're the fresh meat they sent from Edo High School?"

            The pink-haired lady narrowed her eyes, but she had a puzzling look.

            "Um..freah meat?"

            The old lady cackled a little then stops to look at her again.

            "Nothing…nothing at all….come come……I'll get you your class schedule."

            "Arigato….." The young woman bowed slightly, letting her bangs sway a little from the bowing.

            "Right……" The old lady turned to a cabinet and opened it up to search through the files. After a few seconds, she found the files and grinned. Then she opened it up and it made her eyebrows rise a little.

            "Oh….You have that class eh?……heh……you going to be in for a surprise…" The old lady muttered to herself while the young female looked around the main office.

            The main office was quite spacious since it had about two-dozen desks that were sprawled out everywhere. Many of the desks were occupied as papers and books sprawled everywhere. Writing utensils were scattered all over the floor. There were a few more doors as some led to the principal's office, the vice-principal's office, teacher's lounge, and the bathroom.

            "Well, my name is Lin Yusada, I guess whatever you need, you let me know…"

            She gestured at one of the desks in the middle that was connected to another desk.

            "That will be your desk for now….Anyhow you better get to class, you have some students to teach!"

            The young female was staring at one of the class reports, but then snapped to attention when she heard Lin finish talking.

            "Yes…..arigato..you been a big help." She bowed once more to offer her gratitude.

            "Sure…sure….and by the way, let me tell you something…."

            "Yes?" 

            "Watch out for the students…..and watch out for the principal…..don't eat his fruits!"

            The young female tilted her head slightly since she was puzzled at why they said that.

            "Now go…go! You got a class to teach and your late too! The room is 4D………though I would understand once you been through the class why you want to be late……" The old lady muttered the last sentence softly so the young female wouldn't hear it.

            The young lady nodded and took the file, which the old lady gave her.

            "Arigato…"

            She opened the door from the main office then stepped outside. Once that was done, she closed the door softly and went off to walk to her class.

            Back in the main office, the old secretary looked at the door and shook her head slowly in sad regret.

            "Good luck to ya…………you are going to need it….poor thing….she will be broken by the end of this week………."

            "Hey where is the teach?"

            "Don't know……man this sucks….I want to see her too….especially when she punishes us! Where are you teach?!!!"

            One boy clutched his face in agony as he wish that their teach was here so they can stare at her and see what is under that short skirt of hers. The other boys joined in the moaning as they also wanted to get a glimpse and what panties the teach wore.

            "Well anyways, I personally think that Kuno is a stupid idiot. Like why would all the guys go after that girl, Akane? Sure she can fight, but whats the point? Don't guys want cute girls like us?" 

            One girl sat on her desk while having a couple girls around her. She had long dark hair and was made in a ponytail. She crossed her legs as she eyed the boys.    

            "No clue, but you know Akane, she has her fan club and all, she probably feels all haughty and everything that all these guys are after her."

            One of the girls sniffed in disdain, since she was jealous that Akane gets all the guys.

            "Yeah…I wish someone would knock her down a peg or two to teach her a lesson."

            "Yeah….what about her fiancée?"

            "What about him?"

            "I don't think she deserves him. He needs a nice and more mature female, someone that he can depend on and someone to love!"

            "Like who?"

            One of the girls giggled and let her bangs swing around.

            "Why us silly!"

            The other girls giggled along with her as they dreamt about being under the arms of that muscular male that can do amazing moves and speeds that no ordinary human being can rival.

            As the chatting continues, there was a slight knock on the door, which every student went into panic and rushed into their desks. They didn't want the principal to teach their class for they knew that it would be hell to have him.

            Before they can say another word, the door opened and then closed as the female stepped in.

            She walked with a slight grace, as if she glided down the floor. Every pair of eyes was on her as she walked straight to the desk. She turned to the quiet class and frowned a little as the eyes were staring at her. It was so intense it made her quite nervous, as if they were seeing through everything she was.

            "Um….ano….um…….." The female tilted her head to the side while raising a finger to her lips to think.

            All the students still stared at her as they wondered what she was going to do.

            Then with a sudden idea, the female turned around and picked up a piece of chalk, with a slight scribbling on the board, her name was spelled out. Then she set the chalk down and turned around to smile at her students.

            "Hello, my name is Kazami Mizuho. I will be your teacher for now, since Ms. Hinako is on sick leave. So will you tell what she has taught you or do I have to make this class explanation time?"

            Silence hung in the air as they still stared at her. Mizuho lost her confidence as they still stared at her. She was on the verge of sweating when she tried to speak once more.

            "Um….ano….ano……"

            She was afraid at what might happen, but in a second, one of the male students stood up and brought out in hands in triumph.

            "Wooooooooeeeeeeeeeeee! She is hot! Our teacher is hot!!!"

            The whole class erupted in noises as conversation between the students erupted.

            "Damn this teacher is fine!"

            "Hey better looking than Ms. Hinako!!"

            "No way!"

            "Another female teacher?"

            "Well, she seems nice, perhaps she can teach us?"

            Mizuho coughed lightly and waved her hands around to lower the class voices.

            "Ano…ano….excuse me….um….will you keep your voices down? This is a classroom….um…please…keep your voice down…"

            Everyone lowered their voices as they stared at her.

            "Um…..ano...lets do a roll call to see who is here?"

            "Hai!" Everyone said in unison though the boys were staring at her in a much more leering way.

            She looked at the roll sheet and glanced the seats to check if the persons were there.

            "Hmm….it looks like some people are missing and they are…………."

            Before she could finish, she heard from screaming coming close to her classroom.

            "ARGH!!!!!!! STAY AWAY FROM ME YOU UNCUTE TOMBOY!!!!!!!!!"

            "RANMA!!!!!!!!! YOU JERK!!!!!!!!!"

            Mizuho turned her head to the door as she a noise behind it. Immediately the door slammed open as a body flew though and collided into the wall. A body was shown stuck in the wall and slowly twitching as if showing it was still alive. A pigtail dangled from the back of his hair and his red Chinese shirt and black kung-fu pants were molded around his body since he was plastered on the wall. A crater was on the wall by the cause of his impact.

            "Ugh……..stupid tomboy…….."

            Everyone swiveled their heads from looking at the person stuck in the wall to the door as they saw a girl breathing at a rapid pace while her face was in an angry mood. Her eyes were narrowed and her mouth was puckered up as she breathed once more. Her right hand was extended in a classic punching move as she just struck the person she was yelling at and knocked him into the wall. She had a page-boy haircut and she was really in a pissed mood.

            "Um……ano…..is everyone okay?"

            "Hai…….." The rest of the class said in unison as they looked at boy and then back at the girl.

            "Um……okay….um excuse me? Who are you?"

            The girl with the page-boy haircut turned the female that stood behind the teacher's desk. She gave a puzzled look since she never seen this person before. Where was Hinako-sensei? Is she absent? Who is this person? A dozen questions came into her head as the young teacher looked at her.

            "Um……ano…..Who are you?" 

            "Oh….gomen..um….my name is Akane Tendo." Akane bowed forward in respect to the teacher. 

            The teacher nodded and checked her off the roll sheet and then just turned to the other person who finally was able to pull his body off the wall then suddenly flex his body to make sure nothing happened. His muscles strained slightly as he stretched and cracked his bones to make sure nothing was wrong.

            A slight blush formed from the teacher's cheeks, but quickly disappeared as she looked at the pigtail individual.

            "Excuse me….um….ano…..What is your name?"

            The person turned around to see the young teacher who stood there. She had pink hair and had it in a weird hairstyle, but it looked quite interesting. And those glasses….I bet her she looks better without them…..Heck she seems interesting……..like….like someone I know…..but wait…I never met her before nor did I meet anyone like her? What am I thinking?

            As the pigtail individual continued staring at her, the teacher stared back at those blue-gray eyes and noticed his handsome complexion and masculine body. She noticed how his body was very well formed and the clothes easily defined his muscle tone.

            "Um….ano….ano…..What is your name?" The teacher blushed once more as she stared at the martial artist, but her look was more of nostalgia, as if she was remembering something,

            "Um…heh….the name is Saotome, Ranma Saotome….." Ranma went to scratch his head as he look down and stared at the nice intricate artwork on the ground, which composed of nothing except a carpet floor.

            "Ranma…….Ranma Saotome……" She repeated her name, but in a much softer tone, somewhat melodious, a bit sincere as if the name was something precious to her.

            He…..he……is Ranma Saotome…my god….he…I found him…but…..he…….he has changed since I last seen him. 

            "Uh…yeah that is my name…." Ranma scratched his head once more, this time in a nervous matter as he wondered why she called his name. 

            Akane watched the episode between the two and she got slightly irritated that the teacher was spending some time with her Ranma. Her Ranma! 

            "Well….ano….you both were late, but since I was late too, I will excuse you for today on grounds of me being tardy." Mizuho smiled slightly then straightens herself out as she went to stand right next to her desk again.

            "Well please go to your seats…..and by the way….my name is Kazami Mizuho."

            Both the students went to their seats except when Ranma got to his seat, he kept his eyes on her, instead of being drowsy and wanting to sleep, since something funny was going on. It was curious to see her say his name, but the tone she said it was much more interesting. It was a nostalgic tone, something that made him feel weird, but not just that, when he looks at her, he feels, he feels warm all of sudden and he doesn't no why. He felt warm a couple of times around Akane, when she cried for his help and he went off to rescue her, but this was different. The feeling of warmth he felt from the teacher was as if he was use to feeling it, he felt like he felt this way towards her ever since the beginning, which he has no clue what that means.

            While Ranma stared at Mizuho-sensei, Akane Tendo glared at Ranma, then at the teacher, as she felt very irritated at why Ranma is staring at the teacher. Ranma can be such a jerk at times, but this takes the cake! Usually he is asleep right now, but he is currently staring at the teacher. He is probably thinking of some perverted thoughts thought Akane as she just glared at Ranma still.

            "Well class…um…ano what did you learn from Ms. Hinako?"

            One of the students raised their hands.   

            "Hai, Daisuke?"

            Daisuke coughed then stood up and tried to act studious, as he knew as if he knew the stuff.

            "Yes, Mizuho-sensei um…Hinako-sensei was teaching us the language, English."

            Mizuho smiled and nodded her head.

            "Arigato Daisuke, you may sit down."

            Daisuke beamed as he sat down and just glowed with delight as he enjoyed that smile from the teacher.

            "Well then, let us discuss about what you learned on the language called English…." Mizuho turned to the board and picked up the chalk to scribble down some notes about the language.

            Many of the students took down notes, especially the boys as they stared as her nice ass and just day dreamed about feeling it, but then snapped out the reverie since they want to be good boys and try to get some attention from the teacher.

            The only boy who wasn't writing down any notes was Ranma Saotome, the delinquent who would do no work at all, but instead of his customary head on the desk nap, he was just staring at the teacher.

            Who….who is she? Mizuho-sensei? This person…..she seems very familiar….yet I don't recall any moments with her? Who is she!!!

            Akane fumed once more as she glanced at Ranma who just stared at the teacher.

            I knew it! Ranma is a pervert…..he is just staring at her! What does Mizuho-sensei got that I don't got! Ranma is mine, so he should be staring at me! He is so going to get it at lunch….I am going to beat the crap out of the jerk!

            Of course if Ranma was psychic, he would have already decided to panic and head for the hills, but he isn't so he wasn't feeling that jealousy and that slight maddening battle aura that seemed to glow around Akane Tendo.

            Finally after a short while with Mizuho demonstrating about prepositions and such, the bell rung for the starting of lunch.

            A flurry of kids rushed out the room as they raced down the hall to go grab their lunches. Many of the boys were pushing each other aside to go grab any breads that were being sold by the cafeteria while the girls walked slowly and basically gossiped about anything while carrying packed lunches. 

            Mizuho finished wiping the board and then turned around thinking no one was around, but what she saw was quite startling and to anyone it would have been a heart attack. Ranma Saotome sat in his seat, staring at her, but not moving an inch. Usually he is the first one out of the classroom and gobbling down his lunch since his famous Saotome stomach was grumbling.

            "Um…ano…Ranma…..Ranma-kun?" Mizuho called out to Ranma, but again with that softer tone, soft enough to make it quite seductive.

            "Eh?" Ranma shook his head out of his thinking trance as he looked around and saw none of his classmates around.

            "What the heck? Where is everyone?"

            Mizuho smiled, but inside she was giggling at Ranma and how he was so dense at certain times.

            "You were daydreaming when the bell rang, so everyone is out to lunch…"

            "REALLY?!! Its lunch time?"

            Mizuho nodded her head.

            "Yes and you better hurry if you want some food from the cafeteria."

            Ranma smirked and ran to the window.

            "Nah, its all right, I brought a lunch….."

            With a slide of the window, the sunlight poured into his body and he tensed himself while bending his knees slightly.

            "Well thanks Mizuho-sensei….guess I'll see you later..have um….a good lunch.."

            Mizuho bowed and smiled.

            "Arigato Ranma-kun, you enjoy your meal too…."

            Ranma grinned and then leapt out of the window.

            As Ranma disappeared from the class, Mizuho grabbed her desk as she slowly let herself slide to the floor with her knees bent and legs close to her thigh. She suddenly felt very weak and her head was spinning. She took some deep breaths and took off her glasses. She then stared at her glasses and then kept repeating his name.

            "He….he is here…..I can't believe it…after so long……I…….I finally found him….I finally found Ranma Saotome……."

            She looked down and stared at the floor and touched the carpet with her left hand.

            "But….but….he doesn't know me……he doesn't remember…….."

            A tearstain appeared in the carpet as Mizuho's eyes were wet and trickles of tears came from her eyes and went down her cheek to touch her chin then build up right there to fall swiftly to the ground. With tears on her face, she brought up both of her hands and covered her face as she sobbed quietly to herself.

            "He…….he doesn't remember……………."

            Ranma landed on the ground with hardly any sound. Though the gravity of the fall did pick up some dead leaves in the ground and tossed it around him, but other than that, no other activity was created from his drop.

            Once he touched the ground, he ran forward to his favorite tree, which was in the left of the school, towards a grassy area where no one usually bothers him except his fiancée and that wannabe samurai…….which already is enough damn annoying!

            When he got there, he popped himself onto the tree, leaning back so his head got into the regular resting position, which he created by punching the tree a couple of times to curve in the trunks to make a more comfortable head rest. He smirked slightly, but then lost it when he recalled Mizuho-sensei.

            Who is she….she seems to know something….yet she hiding it….most of all though…why does she seem so familiar yet I don't recognize her at all.

            He stretched his arms back to wrap it around his head and suddenly he realized that he forgot to get his lunch, which was in his locker.

            "Aw…..crap……..forgetting my lunch……."

            To do something like that is a major crime in the Saotome family. One should never ever forget food, after all the code states that one cannot fight without a full stomach. Pops always said that a martial artist fights to get his meal to survive the next day.

            "Well might as well go get it…….."

            Ranma leapt from his tree and raced back into school and while he did, he looked around to see any incoming fiancées or rivals…but he didn't see anyone except some of the students standing around and talking. With his martial art abilities, it easily enhanced his senses as he picked up some words from some of the boys that were standing around.

            "Dude….Mizuho-sensei is so hot!"

            "Yeah man, she is a total babe! I would love to have a one on one private tutoring session with her!"

            Ranma frowned as he heard that and subconsciously he tightened his fist as he continued to run towards the school, but before he could complete the run through the courtyard, his first crisis appeared.

            "Damn……here we go………"

            An older male stood before him with his bokken leaning on his right shoulder. Both of his legs were spread out to make a battle stance while he was clutching onto a rose with his left hand. The older male snickered at Ranma and then tightened his grip on his bokken.     

            "So the knave has come to get a taste of the righteous justice by the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High! Come peasant, I will finish you off and rid of this world of the black sorcery that you used to enslave my fierce tigress Akane and my pigtail goddess….."

            "Shut up Kuno, I'm sick of your lame speeches and I'm damn hungry. I'm not really in the mood to fight right now, so back off or I'll really pound your ass!"

            "Silence foul sorcerer! How dare you mock the honor of the Noble House of Kuno! Prepare for divine justice as I slay the villainous Saotome! Have at thee!!!"

            Kuno rushed at Ranma and swung his bokken downwards in a downward slash, which Ranma easily dodged by jumping back and then leaning to the left to dodge the next slash, then to the right, to dodge the next one.

            "Hold still, knave and taste your righteous punishment!"

            Ranma continue to swerve back and forth while thinking of the quickest way to get to his locker.

            "Damn…..I can't just run…..I'll seem like a coward…….argh….man this bites…"

            "RANMA SAOTOME! PREPARE TO DIE!!!!!"        

            Aw….crude….its duck-boy…..

            Ranma flipped into the air and twisted his body to dodge the chains that appeared all around him to snag him.

            Once he landed back to the floor, he twisted himself to launch an one-hand handstand then flip himself to the side to look at his next opponent.

            "How dare you take my Shampoo! I will defeat you and take back what is mine!"

            A young man stood before him, wearing large thick glasses and had a large white robe covering over him. Though the white robes seem a bit large, it was only to deceive his opponents to show the true powers of his art.

            "For the last time, I didn't take your Shampoo, Mousse! She came after me! Why don't you go bug her for awhile, I'm hungry and I need my food!"

            "Shut up Saotome, its your fault you stole my Shampoo, for that I will destroy you!"

            Ranma shook his head sadly as he swerved to the right and leaned slightly to dodge the next set of chains, then he sidestepped to the left to dodge the flight of daggers.

            "Damn…..it can't get worse can it?"

            "RANMA SAOTOME, PREPARE TO DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

            It got worse………..damn u Kami-sama………….

            Ranma leapt straight into the air to avoid the yellow with black polka-dot bandanas. The bandanas flew under him and cut through the fence that was in their way. There was going to be some definite property damage in the school.

            As he landed, he turned to look at his most worthy opponent who was waving his umbrella and glaring at him. He wore black pants and had a yellow shirt. His fangs came out as he glared at him once more. 

            "Damn you Ranma, because of you, I have seen hell!"

            "Ah cut the crap Ryoga, I got some stuff to do, like go eat my meal!!!!"  
            "Forget that! Worry about your death!!"

            Ryoga leapt straight at Ranma while cocking his hand back to deliver his punch.

            While that happened Kuno ran at Ranma to the left and waved his bokken once more.

            "Ah ha! I have you now, foul sorcerer!"

            At the right of Ranma, Mousse rushed at him while bringing out both of his sleeves and his mouth opened up to call out one of his deadlier techniques.

            "STOP!"

            Everyone paused and turned to the voice. Kuno had his bokken in the air while Ryoga had his hand still cocked back. Mousse just stood there with his arms still stretched out and his lips quivering slightly to yell out his move.

            Ranma however stood there, ready to brace for impact, but when he saw everyone stop and turn to the voice, he turned to and saw her……

            "STOP THIS AT ONCE!"

            Mizuho stood there at the front of the school as she saw Ranma was about to be attacked by a bunch of boys. What bullies they are! Ranma could get hurt from this...I….I must end this right now……

            While people stared at her, the wind suddenly picked up once more and the breeze touched her bangs and let it flutter a bit, which heightened her beauty as she used a hand to push down the bangs and try to straighten herself.

            Ranma stared at her and gulped slightly as she mesmerized him.

            Man……she sure………sure is cute……………

            "That is enough! I will not tolerate a fight in this school! Especially when I am around! There will be no fighting or I will personally make sure each and everyone of you are punished!"

            Everyone's mouth dropped wide as they heard Mizuho-sensei say that. No one has ever made an effort to stop the guys from attacking Ranma constantly. No one who is sane enough and not willing to lose some part in their body, but this was different. This was Mizuho-sensei, a teacher who does have authority in Furinkan High.

            Kuno stared at the teacher, then finally lowered his bokken and suddenly he was right next to Mizuho-sensei and clasping her hand slightly. He made a formal bow and then presented a rose to her.

            "Who are you young maiden…nay tis not right for a lady to speak first, I must present myself first so you will be charmed of who I am, I am the rising star and captain of the kendo club in Furinkan High. I am Takawaki Kuno, age seventeen, also known as the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High!"

            Kuno raised his bokken to the air and suddenly out of nowhere a lightning crashed down behind him to emphasize the dramatic pose he created.

            "Um…..ano….hai….I am Mizuho-sensei….." She was puzzled at the way Kuno was talking to her.

            Kuno lowered his bokken as he clasped Mizuho-sensei's hand.

            "Mizuho-sensei? Ah….what a delightful name for such a beautiful flower like yourself….you are the star that shines in my night….I will forever be with you…….come..come…be my goddess and let us court….."

            Before he could finish, he felt pain in his mouth and his body suddenly lifts into the air and then shot back and slammed into the wall. As he slowly faded into unconsciousness, he recalled the beautiful pink-hair maiden.

            Mizuho-sensei……..the delightful angel…………………that will shine in my life……… 

            Mizuho's eyes widen as she saw Ranma appear out of nowhere and slam his fist into Kuno's mouth and then launching a powerful sidekick into Kuno's midsection to knock him into a wall and rendering him unconscious.

            "Damn that Kuno……him and his stupid speeches…..sorry Mizuho-sensei….Kuno is an idiot….he always tries to do this………"

            Ranma felt quite angry with Kuno when he tried to court Mizuho-sensei, though he doesn't know why. Instinctively, he rushed toward him and delivers his own punishment to make Kuno know not to try something like that. His fist clenched and unclenched as he glared at Kuno's unmoving body, but he still doesn't know why he did that.

            "Um….ano arigato Ranma-kun…"

            Ranma turned to Mizuho-sensei and saw a slight blush appear in her cheek, but disappear in a second later.

            "Of….of course Mizuho-sensei….eh…..hehe…….." He scratched his head as he was suddenly felt nervous all of a sudden, but then he looked closely and saw some of her face slightly stained.

            "Um…..Mizuho-sensei? Are you all right? You look like you wet your face or something……"

            Mizuho realized she didn't work on her face when she rushed down to save Ranma, but she couldn't really since her priority was to save him. Mizuho touched her face and felt the tear stains on her face, marring the light makeup she had on.

            "Um….oh my..ano…hai…I better go fix it……"

            "Uh…heh…heh..you should……"

            Both of them turned silent while they looked at each other. They stared at one another's eyes and through the staring; they saw the difference in each other. One had order and peacefulness in her life, but needed something; she needed the risks and dangers that she once went through. The other was of turmoil and chaos, for he needed to structure his life and that peaceful bliss that he has always sought. For this, their eyes connected and their souls met, but yet one of them wasn't quite sure about it.

            Ranma went to scratch his head again.

            "Uh…heh….anyways um….you better go clean yourself up…."

            "Oh….hai….arigato Ranma-kun.." Mizuho-sensei turned around and walked back to school to head to the teacher's bathroom. Her pace quickened as she took another step closer to the bathroom. She need to head there……to stop some more tears that were rolling down her cheek once more.

            Ranma looked at the entrance of the school and watched Mizuho-sensei fade into the darkness of the cold interior levels of the school.

            Ranma then clenched his fist and turned around to look at the other two rivals that stood before him, but that one of them was still having his arms up while the other one just stared at the school doors too.

            "She……who is she Ranma?"

            Ranma raised an eyebrow as he stared at Ryoga quizzically. Ryoga's look had one of nostalgia too, but confusion also. As if he was troubled by something. 

            "She is my teacher, Hinako-sensei left on sick leave, so Mizuho-sensei is here as the substitute……..why do you ask?"

            Ranma narrowed his eyes and subconsciously cracked his knuckles as he clenched both of his fists.

            "Um…..no reason…………."

            Ryoga continue to stare at the school entrance as he felt something…..a longing……like the way he felt for Akane….and that girl Akari. He felt a sense of longing for that teacher and yet he doesn't know why. I just met her! How can I feel this way!!

            Mousse on the other hand wasn't watching the teacher he was watching Ranma. He never seen him run at that kind of speed, its as if Ranma was teleporting one place to another. In one second he was in front of us and next he had his fist in Kuno. It was amazing yet…..frightening….This new technique will give Ranma an advantage in speed and will force Mousse to devise a strategy to stop him since he knew with that speed, Ranma can easily rack up punches at him.

            I must defeat him! He took my Shampoo and she belongs to me only! I will get him! Oh my beloved Shampoo…………how I do long for you and your touch……….

            If Shampoo were hearing this, she would have taken out her bonboris and basically smashed Mousse into pulp, then chased after her airen, the beloved Ranma.

            Though Shampoo didn't hear him, that doesn't mean she can't show up.

            "Airen!!!"

            Ah……crap……my day just got worse……much worse…..

            Shampoo was clad in her traditional restaurant outfit; a one-piece dress that was down to her thigh and just basically stops there. If anyone basically peeked between her legs, they were getting a peep show up whatever she wore as an undergarment.

            Her long purple hair seems to wave around as she generated a breeze from her pedaling on the bicycle. She gained a rush of speed from the sight of Ranma. Her airen is the best and he deserves the best, which is the traditional Amazon glomp!

            As she approached her target, someone decided to get in her way, that annoying idiot that always trying to hamper whenever she tries to get close to her beloved. That stupid annoying Mousse!

            "My Shampoo! You come to me! I knew it, you are coming to greet me and pronounce your……URK!!"

            Before he could finish his speech of love, the bicycle seem to leap into the air and slam right into Mousse's face as he took a piece of the front tire. He basically ate rubber. Then gravity shot him down to the ground to plaster him to the floor as the bicycle made tread marks all over him as it paved a way to Ranma.

            "AIREN!!!"

            "Ran-chan!!"

            Ite……….my "cute" fiancée……"

            From the side of Ranma, you see a young person leap from a tree and land on the ground. The person was clad in a black shirt with matching pants. The person had very long dark brown hair that was in a ponytail and had a ribbon to hold it in place. While also on her back, there was a long handle that was connected to a giant spatula. 

            If one looks at the person who cried at Ran-chan, one would think the person is a male, but if you look closely, you can notice the slight bumps on the chest and that their isn't any Adam's apple on the neck…..that means it's a she and it's a really cute girl, if one is able to get over the part she looks like a guy.

            "……hi Ucchan……."

            Ukyo smiled even bigger as she heard Ranma say hi to her! He said hi! He doesn't usually do that, but today he did! Oh what a fortune! Perhaps she can get him to propose to him and then they can get hitched and run her restaurant together.

            "Ran-chan! I brought you some fresh pork okonomiyaki! It is hot and fresh!"

            Ukyo pulled a box out of thin air and quickly opened it to present her gift to her honey. It looked good and heck it sure is going to taste good.

            "Cmon sugar, I know you would like some! You don't need to eat anything else! This will fill you right up!"

            Shampoo on the other hand disagreed with Ukyo's food and opened her box to present a bowl of noodles that have vegetables and meat in it. It smelled quite delicious.

            "No, no try to taste spatula-girl airen, you try some of Shampoo's delicious ramen!"

            "He is not going to eat your ramen! You purple-haired bimbo!"

            "Airen will eat Shampoo's ramen, not spatula girl's pork pancake…."

            "Okonomiyaki! How dare you insult my cooking!"

            Ukyo went to battle off with Shampoo while Ranma just stood there watching them too while still amazed at the fact that they can still hold their trays of food that was to be presented to him. He didn't mind eating both of them since he was quite hungry, but that would make a ruckus not from those two fiancées, but also his….tomboy fiancée..

            "Ranma, how dare you eat there cooking!"

            Right on time……..Ranma turned his wrist and he looked at his watch…..man a second faster than usual….must be…………..urk.

            Without finishing his thought, he was launched into the air with a wicked uppercut produced by the usual muscle-bound brute of a female called Akane Tendo.

            "ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

            Ranma flew over the horizon and because of his curse, which basically made him a water-magnet, his courtesy fly by Akane Airways directed him to the usual destination with a large body of water.

            …………here we go again…..

            A splash was heard at the school pool as a body plummet straight to the body. Watermarks were all over the concrete surround the pool since the splash was pretty big, but the body in the water soon touches the surface and broke it. With a slight shake of the head, the pigtail was swung around the head and the person paddled to the nearest exit.

            "Yeesh, another one in the pool…….."

            A high soprano tone was heard as the young redhead vaulted out of the pool and starting shaking her head to clear the water. She looked at her surroundings to see anyone that seen her transformation, but no one was around. They were too busy at the courtyard minding their own business…..or having the usual fiancée battles.

            "…I hate my life………"

            She grabbed her shirt and slowly twisted it to drain it of water and as the water slowly leaked out, she detected someone in the bushes to the left of her. She swung her head to the left and narrowed her eyes.

            "……..Nabiki……..I know your in there………..stop taking pictures of me and come out…….."

            The redhead clenched her fist as she stared at the bush that stopped moving and a body that rose up after it. The girl was wearing a regular Furinkan uniform while styling a short haircut that went to her neck. It was a straight cut that almost could be perceived, as a bowl cut, but try to tell her that and you would be dead………either psychically or emotionally….

            Nabiki Tendo, second daughter to the house of Tendo, and the Ice Queen of Furinkan High basically dominated the school with her wits and underground connections. She had a major racket of racketeering, child pornography, bookie, gambling, and selling information. Anything you wanted, she charged and she charged really high so if a person ran out of money, he or she would basically be a slave to her for the rest of their lives.

            Nabiki Tendo gave a slight smirk as she crossed her arms and gave her cold and calculating look. It was the look of haughty superiority, as if she knew everything and can control it with a slight twitch of a finger. On her left hand was a small camera that she was taking a couple of pictures for some boy fans that are crazed about the red-head especially her biggest client, that buffoon of a samurai…..who considers the red-head as the pigtail goddess.

            "Well…….Ranma……….or should I call you Ranko? It seems you caught me."

            The tone of voice she had was not of terror, but as if she knew she would be caught and not really cared if that happened. She was mocking the redhead who was glaring at her.

            Ranko…..or otherwise known as the famous Ranma Saotome stood there and faced his adversary. His opponent that stood before him never used brawns……no it was all in the brains and that he lacked. It wasn't that he was not intelligent; it was just he never spent time to work it out. Usually he spent time putting up his fist and let it loose, hoping his problems get knocked out, but Nabiki was different. She would always outwit him in the case that he would always get in trouble by her. In the battle of fists, he ruled the domain, but when it came to brains, Nabiki owned the place and can easily flaunt it.

            "Call me whatever you like…..its not like any of the people at school care. They can't tell what the difference is anymore……."

            Nabiki curled her lips to make another one of her cold smiles.

            "Not so…….they know what the difference in gender parts…..and some boys would love to see your feminine assets……."

            Ranko winced as Nabiki grinned at her.

            "So……..do you want some hot water?"

            Nabiki reached behind the bush and picked up a kettle full of hot water.

            Ranko stared at the kettle, then fished into her wallet to check how much cash she has left.

            "All I got is about…..5000 yen……….."

            Nabiki shook her head and walked up to her.

            "No, no…..it is free of charge…….."

            Ranko narrowed her eyes to stare at her suspiciously.

            "Free of charge? When did that happen?"

            Nabiki smirked once more as came closer to her prey.

            "It happens now…..I feel good after the morning betting pool, so I'm being graciously enough to offer you a kettle full of hot water."

            Ranko stared at Nabiki, but then shrugged. She might as well take it, its not like she can do anything about it…..and technically it is free…….for now……

            Ranko bent over to Nabiki in a bowing position, but to an outside spectator it would be seen as if a girl was respecting an elder female. Nabiki curled her haughty lips and then tipped the kettle over the pigtailed female's head.

            Immediately a the redhead, grew an extra foot and a few inches taller, her breasts shrinking into more of a masculine chest and her hair turning black. Gone was the petite redhead bombshell and all that was before the Ice Queen was the handsome martial artist that took the plunge into the pool.

            "Arigato…..Nabiki….."

            Nabiki smirked while getting those gracious thanks. Respect like this gives power and power meant control. That was the key to rule Furinkan High. Earn the respect, and then take that power to control them. Thus in the end, they all becomes servants to the Queen.

            "You better get going Ranma, you don't want to miss a meal. Onesan made a really delicious one this time. After all, you know Onesan, one bite and its heaven."

            She smiled as she licked her lips.

            "I already ate mine, have you?"

            Ranma nodded his head and in one single leap, he cleared the fence that blocked off the pool and he was off racing back to the courtyard, hoping he can catch his good meal that he left in the locker room.

            While Ranma leapt away from the fearless Nabiki Tendo, her eyes narrowed as she heard some information from her lackeys that easily made a gossip around the school.

            "Mizuho-sensei, a substitute for Hinako-sensei, who spoke out against Kuno. Not even the vice principal would be willing to do that." 

She rubbed her chin in a methodical matter with her right hand.

"And not just that………Akane seemed to be jealous of this teacher…..very strange indeed…. Can the teacher actually like Ranma?"

Nabiki narrowed her eyes even more, but then shook her head slightly.

"That isn't possible, that teacher is way to old for Ranma and besides, who wants a uncouth, immature, boorish person like him? Except perhaps my egotistical, selifsh sister……heh….they make such a lovely couple."

Nabiki looked out, not focusing particularly at anything, but her eyes wandered while her thought centered on the teacher once more.

"But….Mizuho-sensei bears a looking into……."

-End for know……C&C are welcome-


	2. Discovery

An Onegai Teacher/Ranma crossover

This stuff doesn't belong to me so don't even think they do. Send your flames to Ryouga Hibiki since he will probably get lost with it.

Never Forgetting

Chapter 2: Discovery

            Ranma ran back to his tree as he was holding on to one of his most precious prize, the delicious bento made by the Iron Chef Kasumi. No way in hell is he going to miss this lunch, especially when Kasumi made it. He has to eat it all, before the bell rings.

            As he lay back onto his favorite spot, he noticed someone was walking up to him. He quickly looked up to see the uncute tomboy coming his way, but what was worst was that the tomboy had a look that made it seem she was going to shoot something out of it. Then there were those snarls of the lips as she walked closer and closer to her final destination.            

            Crap… Akane is coming, and boy is she pissed, and I haven't eaten my meal yet….

            While he continued to stare at her, he saw her clutching a box as if it was her most valuable possession, but to Ranma it was the most feared thing next to him being stuck as a girl and being ravaged by a bunch of Kuno freaks.

            Kami-sama… it's a bento! And most definitely its not from Kasumi… and of course Nabiki wouldn't cook at all since she has other plans like take nude pictures of me… which leaves uncute tomboy… Dear Kama-sama…

            "Ranma!! What are you doing?!!" Akane's voice had full of hatred and disgust as she stared at her fiancée while clenching and unclenching one fist while using the other to hug her bento to her chest.

            "Um….eh…. about to eat?" Ranma held up his bento slightly to show that he opened it and had the most wondrous aroma that easily reached to his nose and made his stomach quake.

            Akane glared at Ranma once more as she put one of her hands on her hips, as if she was the boss of the couple.

            "Well what were you doing in class hmmmm?"

            "Um… listening to the teacher?"

            Akane arched an eyebrow while snarling once more.

            "And why were you studying?!"

            Ranma looked at her with a innocent puppy look.

            "Um… wanted to I guess…"

            "YOU GUESS?!"

            Ranma looked down while sniffing at his food. He wanted her to get out of his face as soon as possible while he could dive into the delicious meal that was created by the matron of the household.

            "Uh…yeah… um Akane, can we talk about this later? I'm hungry and I want to eat now."

            Hope this excuse works…

            Akane's eyes immediately brightened while she grabbed the bento and opened the cover. She had a triumphant smile on her as she looked at Ranma.

            "Sure! I made something last night, so since your hungry, you can try it!"

            And it's shot to hell… Kami-sama why do you punish me like this… what have I done?! Quick think of an excuse!!

            "Um…uh…no thanks… You see I have the bento Kasumi gave me, so uh I'll be okay, ya…"

            Ranma lifted up the splendid meal created by the chef of the century.

            Akane just glared at Ranma while shoving the bento at him.

            "Just one bite! I am sure you will like it!"

            Ranma tilted his head up and looked at the gleams of the eyes of the dangerous, impatient tomboy that can poison anything. He knew that if he didn't eat it, he would surely suffer the consequences of the dreadful blunt object of ejecting to the atmosphere or if he did eat it, then he would be kissing his life good bye as he falls down to his weary grave.

            Decisions, decisions…like Robert Frost said, take the Road less Traveled…wait that means eat the food! Forget that! 

            Ranma looked at the food actually more like a charred single-celled organism that seems to bloat and float around in some sewage water. The organism seems to have one-eye and it's staring at straight at the martial artist. What is more dangerous, is that it seems to have lips and it's curling it as if daring the young man and his hungry stomach to even rip one piece of its body.

            "No way you uncute tomboy! I already have lunch from Kasumi who can cook way better than you ever can, and I hell as don't want to eat that damn food of yours because I don't want to eat something alive and staring straight at me!"

            Immediately by the few sentences of the young man that dare to insult the prize cooking of an impatient individual, Akane Tendo curled her lips in anger as she dropped the bento and reached into empty space to unleash her Hammer of Ejection to HALO (High Altitude Low Orbit) 9000. With a war cry like a Valkyrie off to battle, she swung with all her might, making Tiger Woods look bad in swinging a club.

            "RANMA YOU JERK!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

            Ranma closed his eyes and prayed for a short swift journey as the fate crashed into his face and lifted him up towards the heavens above, but it didn't matter that the fact was he was leaving the Earth, nor was the fact that he had a large bruise the size of a baseball on his head. No the main thing was that he was hungry and that as he flew off, his lunch, his precious bento was on the ground, right next to his favorite tree.

            "MY LUNCHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

            In the teacher's lounge, only two people sat in chairs that were scattered around the room. The rest of the teachers were already heading to their class since the lunch bell was going to ring in a few minutes. In there was the old, kind secretary who was drinking a small cup of decaf coffee and the newly arrived substitute who just finished cleaning herself from her depressive moment. 

            Mizuho-sensei sat quietly in her chair while eating a pocky. Pocky is a type of cookie, which are shaped into a stick and dipped into chocolate or whatever flavor. They are very crunchy and delightful snack to many of the Japanese citizens. To Mizuho-sensei, it was more than a delightful snack, it was remembering someone she longed for and was never able to do all the things she wanted to do.

            "So dearie, how is Furinkan High treating you? Actually how is your class treating You?" The old lady turned to Mizuho-sensei while emphasizing on the last word.

            The new substitute smiled a little while eating another delicious pocky stick.

            "Actually it was quite entertaining and interesting…ano… the students are very excited and very nice…ano…but there were some students that seem to remind me a lot of the past and how things were better at that time…"

            Lin Yusada raised an eyebrow from the last bit of the sentence.

            "The past? Better times? Dearie, Furinkan High's past was full of surprises and chaos. Nothing was ever normal, it's a wonder how this school still stands from all the occurrences that appeal in this area."

            Mizuho-sensei grinned while fishing in her box for another pocky.

            "Well, yes, these students are rowdy and rambunctious…ano…but I believe that they just need a goal, something to achieve and I think I can help them do that."

            The old lady stared at Mizuho-sensei while holding her cup of coffee.

            This substitute has a lot of talent in her. She has full of energy and abundance, especially determination of trying to achieve something. No wonder the Principal of Edo High School praised her highly on her educational teachings. Perhaps this school needs someone who believes in educational reform, but in a more positive outlook. She may be the solution to this chaos!

            Lin smiled as she tried to envision Furinkan High as a newly reformed school. A school where students rush to eagerly to learn and grasp ideas that were developed around the world, where scholars are not born, but taught to become one. 

            "Um…ano…Lin-san…can you open a window? It is getting kind of hot in here…ano…" Mizuho-sensei smiled at Lin appreciatively.

            "Hai Mizuho-san," replied Lin as she got up and walked straight to the window to unlatch the lock and slide it open.

            "Arigato…Lin-…"

            Before the lovely substitute could finish her sentence, a flying object soared through the window screaming two words.

            "MY LUNCHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

            Both of the teacher and secretary tracked his flight as he flew into the room and slammed right into a wall where his head was completely inside the wall, perhaps appearing on the other side.

            "Oh my…ano…get a nurse! This poor boy has been hurt dreadfully!"

            Mizuho-sensei jumped out of her chair and rushed to the body that was in the wall where cracks were starting to from around him and pieces of plaster littered the floor.

            Lin just stared at the body that was in the wall. She had seen this many times over and over again, but she still can't believe how it happens.

            Before Mizuho-sensei could touch the boy, arms that were plastered to the wall lift itself up and pushed on the wall to force the head out. With a sound of a soda cap being opened, the head snapped out of the wall and the body fell to the floor.

            "Ack…stupid tomboy, well this was a better option then her food….ugh…"

            Ranma Saotome shuddered as he grabbed his neck and snapped it to the right to get rid of the crick. Then he straightened himself and he dusted himself off. Finally when that was all over, he looked around to find where he is, but before he could really scan the place, his pair of eyes looked forward to see a familiar face.

            "Mi…Mizuho-sensei! Um…uh…eh…"

            Ranma flushed instantly since his teacher was staring at him. It was an embarrassing moment since he just got out of a wall for the second time and both times, his teacher was there.

            Mizuho-sensei's eyes were in total concern as she scanned the boy for any need of medical attention. Once that was done, her eyes slowly distracted itself as they continue to rove around his muscles that seemingly pushed itself out of his t-shirt. Then suddenly when she heard the Ranma calling her name, she immediately snapped to attention, though also slightly flushed in the cheeks.

            "Um…ano…Ranma-kun! Um…ano…are you okay! What happened? Who did this? Who hurt you?!"

            A flurry of questions erupted from her as her serious personality took form, but with a slight form of anger. 

            "Who is the culprit Ranma-kun?"

            Ranma raised a hand and scratched his head as he bent to look at the floor because he couldn't see eye to eye with his teacher when she was basically staring at him in an interrogating matter. 

            "Um...ehto…heh…"

            Before he could say anything, his substitute teacher turned to Lin with an angry look while having her hips on her shoulders.

            "What is going on with this school? Constant fights! People flying through windows and smacking into walls! Why isn't any discipline? Why isn't anyone doing anything about this?"

            Lin looked at Mizuho-sensei with a sad look; she slowly shook her head as she spoke her words softly.

            "That is because there is no discipline… Most of the teachers are already frustrated enough with the constant hassle of students not willing to learn… And most of all it seems the principal hasn't taken consideration to the problems ever since he came back from his vacation to Hawaii… He just sits in his room…"

            Mizuho-sensei tapped her lip as she heard the explanation from Lin. If the principal has not done anything, then perhaps he is not informed about it!

            "Very well…lets us see if he understands the problem well enough!"

            The substitute teacher turned toward the door and immediately walked to the principal's office with a slight annoyance that was only caused by the fact that the principal has not taken any consideration for the safety of the students.

            As she walked towards there, Ranma was finally able to get out of his stupid stuttering and realize what she was going to do.

            "OH NO! She is heading to the principal! I got to save her!"

            Ranma immediately took one step and when he did, he sudden became very dizzy and nauseous.

            "Damn…Akane's blow was a bit too hard…"

            Ranma slide toward the floor while grabbing a table to try to steady himself, but the world spun in a never-ending circular motion that made him think he was back in the ocean, swimming to Japan from China because of his lazy father who didn't want to spend on plane tickets.

            "Ugh… Mizuho-sensei… I..I will save you…"

            Ranma gripped the table as hard as he could as he tried to get up once more, but the world seem to trip him back to the ground again as his body flopped to the floor.

            "Mizuho-sensei…."

            Mizuho-sensei stood in front of the door to the crazed principal and with a final huff of breath she knocked on the door. Then she crossed her arms to wait for the acknowledgement to enter, but it didn't happen. After waiting for a minute with no response, she finally just turned the door with impatience and annoyance without being acknowledged. But as she entered the principal's office, she would have never believed the principal was that crazy…til now.

            Standing in front of her was an entrance to a new place. Not even considered Japan anymore as massive palm trees seem to cover the corners of the office and coconuts seem to be lying on the floor in random directions. She then turned her head to the middle to see that there was no desk, instead laid a hammock that was strung up, using the palm trees to hold it up and on that hammock was the mighty principal himself. 

            "Um…Kuno-sama? Ano…Kuno-sama are you awake?"

            She stared at the lying form that was on the hammock that was wearing a straw hat on his head to cover his face and blocked out any noise or light.

            "zzz...Zzzz…pineapples…hehe….bowl cuts.heeehee…."

            Mizuho-sensei sweatdropped slightly as she stared at the prone form of the most powerful man in this school who was purpose to carry his responsibilities with dignity, but instead was lying on a hammock in his boxers with a open shirt. And boy was he ugly compare to Ranma-kun…

            "Um…ano…Kuno-sama?"

            Mizuho-sensei took a step as she pushed Kuno lightly in order to wake him up, which of course wasn't working since the principal moved to the side to avoid the push.

            Finally out of pent of frustration, Mizuho-sensei gave a hard shove to Kuno while yelling at him.

            "KUNO-SAMA, WAKE UP!!!!!"

            Prinicpal Kuno fell off his hammock from the push and smacked right into the ground face first which made him leap into the air and grab his face while moaning in pain.

            "Who dare defies the big Kahuna while he is taking his nap!"

            Prinicpal Kuno rubbed his eyes as he tried to take out the drowsiness off his eyes.

            "I will have you eating pineapples for the rest of your…..eh?"

            As his hazy eyes cleared from the drowsiness he had earlier, he saw some astonishing pair of sexy legs in front of him. Then his perverted eyes decided to travel up to see the short skirt and up the curves of the body and the vest where two large globular objects stood out. Finally he was able to look right up to the beautiful face that had that exotic pink hair with an original hairstyle.

            At that point, Mizuho-sensei suddenly felt quiet nervous since Principal Kuno was staring at him at a very disgusting way. Especially when he lifted his hand to wipe out that spittle of drool that seemed to leak out of his mouth for some no apparent reason.

            "Um…ano…Kuno-sama…we um…ano…need to talk…"

            Principal Kuno immediately snapped out of his reverie and immediately stood up while coughing lightly.

            "Of course, of course, the big kahuna listens to any probs little kiki…"

            Mizuho-sensei slightly flushed as she saw the principal stood up with his exposed chest and boxers.

            "Um…ano…Kuno-sama…shouldn't you be in a more appropriate attire?"

            The principal looked down at his boxers and realize that he was almost naked pretty much.

            "Uh..heh…give big kahuna a sec so he could surf up some clothes!"

            Kuno-sama immediately picked up his pants from the ground and tried to put them on while Mizuho-sensei turned around out of courtesy, but because of that it allowed her to expose her back portion of her body, especially the tight skirt that exposed the smooth curve of her ass.

            Yum…yum… That was all that the principal could think of as he put on his pants and wiped his mouth once more.

            "Um…ano…Kuno-sama? Is it alright to turn around now?"

            Kuno quickly snapped out of his reverie once more as he buttoned up his shirt.

            "Cowabunga kiki, of course, the big kahuna is ready to surf up those waves and listen to anything you have to say, because I'm the big kahuna of this place."

            Mizuho-sensei turned around and sighed in relief to see that Kuno-sama was dressed at least somewhat appropriate though green pants doesn't really fit a professional person especially with a powerful position as head of the school. Nor does the fact that Kuno-sama sporting a Hawaiian t-shirt really shows an attentive person to the school's education.

            "Um…ano Kuno-sama…I need to discuss about the problems of the school fightings…this is a hinder to all education! Constant fighting will not create a more intelliegent atmosphere in this school! We must enforce discipline and rules!"

            To emphasize that Mizuho-sensei swung her palm to her fist.

            Kuno-sama nodded as tears came out of his eyes.

            "Of course! You believe the same goal as I do!!"

            "Um…ano..I do?" Mizuho-sensei brought up an eyebrow in confusion.

            "Yes…yes you do little kiki, my sweet Hawaiian maiden! We need rules! All of the little kikis should have buzzcuts! That will teach them to become a better student! Buzzcut them all!!" 

            "Um…ano..that wasn't I had in mind…"

            Prinicpal Kuno paid no attention to that as he shouted in glee and ran around to plan how to give all the children buzzcuts.

            "Um…Kuno-sama…"

            Mizuho-sensei tried to make the principal listen, but to no effect he wasn't paying attention, especially the fact that he was in his own daydream about shearing hair off.

            Mizuho-sensei sighed in resignation, knowing she couldn't really do anything to make the principal do anything right. So as she turned around and was about to walk out, the principal immediately turned around and grabbed her arm while pulling her close.

            "Oh little kiki, my Hawaiian maiden, let us juin together to rid of the massive hair problems! Those kikis will be punished and then you and I can share the sun as we bathe in the nice sand…"

            Mizuho-sensei tried to push principal Kuno away, but his insanity fueled his strength to pretty much latch on to her. She suddenly felt fear as she realized she can't free herself and thus she wanted to scream and shout for help, but no one was really around to help her since many of the teachers and students fear the insane barber principal.

            "How about a pineapple kiki?"

            Mizuho-sensei stared at the prinicipal and out of instinctive feminine traits, she raised her voice and screamed for help.

            "SOMEBODY HELP…"

            But before she could finish, she felt a rush of wind rush all around her as the breeze lifted her hair and what stood before was not the insane principal, but a muscular male with a pigtail.

            "Um…sorry Mizuho-sensei, guess I was a bit slow in getting here…gomen…"

            Mizuho-sensei clung to her savior, but then pulled herself away from him realizing she was too close to him…she can't do this at this time…not yet anyways.

            "Arigato…um…Ranma-kun…"

            Ranma immediately had a hand in the back of his head and scratching his head once more while staring at the pretty designs on the floor.

            "Um…heh…no problem…"

            While that was going on, a flying pineapple flew out of the window from the lethal blow created by Ranma Saotome and as it went into a descending motion, a young wannabe samurai got out of the wall that he was knocked into.

            "Damn that foul sorcerer Saotome, he must have conjured some trick to bind me into this wall while allowing him to have his way with the fair flower Mizuho. I will rid him thee and claim the right of my fierce tigress, my pigtail goddess and eh…what is this?"

            The Captain of the Kendo, Takawaki Kuno, stared at a rolling object, which seem somewhat like fruit.

            "Hmm..a pineapple and what is that string that is burning…?"

            Before he could say another word, a loud explosion erupted from his area as he was lifted off the ground and launched through the walls of Furinkan High and landed in the nurse's office where he will be lying on a soft bed while sporting numerous bruises and third-degree burns.

            While Mizuho-sensei and Ranma Saotome walked out of the office belonging to the insane principal, a heap of bruised individual rose out of the crumbled wall that seem to be shattered by a powerful blow. As his body fell to the floor, he rolled to his side while groaning a bit from the bruises that seem to bear excruciating pain onto him.

            As he finally rolled to one side of the room, his hands touched one of the large palm trees and lifted off a covering to show a hole in the tree. With that he took out a file with information in bearing a person named Kazami Mizuho. 

            "Hmm..this Hawaiian maiden was born in October 17, 1980 at Edo Hospital at 8:31 am. Blood type O, Measurements 34C –33 -32 has a sister…"

            "…father is an archeologist, mother is an scientist… current living residence is unknown…"

            In a small classroom where arranged computers where set all around while heaps of computer codes stashed anywhere around the room had about a dozen or so students. Most of them were boys who were geeky glasses and sported pocket protectors, but they were at one side of the room while staring at one single female at the other side who was perusing a computer and reading information concerning about one teacher. They had no eyes of lust; no instead, their eyes were full of fear and submission as they allowed that female to do what she pleased.

            Finally as she reached the end of the file, she exited out of the computer and swung to the boys while tapping her lip in thoughtful expression.

            "Hmm…Mizuho-sensei, your records seem quite clean, yet there is still something about you that I don't seem to trust..."

            As she stood there, one of the boys who were being pushed by the rest finally stumbled forward and quickly got in his knees.

            "Um…Nabiki-sama? Um…eh…can we call this as a favor being used?"

            Nabiki stopped tapping her lips as she looked down at the pathetic human being lying on the ground before him. She slowly put hands on her hips as she bent down to take a look at the young individual.

            Then she lifted up the chin of the young boy and slowly looked at him with a penetrating stare, which the young boy with geeky glasses flinched.

            "Of course Hiro…I'll just take that as a favor you owed me… But of course you boys in the Computer Club need to find more info about this teacher…"

            Hiro gulped and nodded his head immediately.

            "Of course Nabiki-sama, anything you ask! It shall be done."         

            Nabiki smiled evilly as she smoothed out her skirt that had some wrinkles on it.

            "Good…"

            Then the bell sounded, which meant the end of lunch and the return to the boring classrooms and lectures.

            "Well I guess I should be going then…take care boys…"

            Nabiki slowly walked out seductively while the rest of the boys stared at the floor, not wanting to lift up an eye at her knowing that anything can happen if they took a look.

            As the bell sounded, Ranma and Mizuho-sensei stared at one another.

            "Um..heh..I guess I should go to class now..hehe…." Ranma quickly looked at the floor again, trying to not let Mizuho-sensei think he was staring at her and marveling at her beauty.

            Mizuho-sensei smiled out of appreciation and grabbed Ranma's hand to squeeze it.

            "Arigato again Ranma-kun.." Then Mizuho-sensei turned and walked away to her next class."

            Ranma flushed as he felt his skin contact with hers as if electricity seems to flow out of her and making his hand feel warm and alive. Her skin felt smooth to be held onto, yet the grip was a bit strong.

            As she turned the corner Ranma soon realized he had to do something.

            "OH CRAP!! Got to get to class!"

            Ranma rushed off to get to class while Mizuho-sensei walked toward her classroom.

            While at that time, Mizuho-sensei took her hand that she uses to squeeze Ranma's hand and clutch it tightly to her chest. She felt that electricity flow around her hand and made her want to hug him, but she can't. It's not right…now right now. A slight form of tear came out of her eye, but she wipes it away. It wasn't a tear of sadness from before, no…it was a tear of joy, and for knowing she had a chance… a chance to discover him once more, if he lets her…

            In class, Ranma sat in his seat and sighed in relief for a second later, the sound of the bell rang. Ranma smirked, as he was gratified that his martial art prowess helped him once more as he narrowly avoided another detention. Ranma didn't like detention since it was the fact that he may have other plans to do something else instead of just sitting there and being stared down by a teacher.

            While he sat there, a bunch of the students were chatting and he somewhat picked out some conversation from the girls and boys of the class.

            "Man…Mizuho-sensei is so hot!" 

            "Man she has a fine ass…"

            "Yeah, way better than Ms. Hinako…"

            One of the boys quickly shook his head as he clutched his heart and stared out with adoring eyes.

            "No, no… Ms. Hinako is the finest teacher in all Furinkan, though Ms. Mizuho does look quite pretty… she doesn't come close to Ms. Hinako.."

            The other boys stared at him, then arguments erupted in who was prettier and who had the better ass.

            The girls stared at the boys in a disgusted look, and then turned to one another to have their own private conversation.

            "Hmm…what do you think of the teacher?" 

            One of the girls brushed her hair as another took out a mirror and checked the lipstick on her mouth.

            "I think she is okay…though she seems a bit too nice…"

            "What are you talking about? Nice! That is the best teacher to have compare to this math teacher. Stupid Kei-sensei. He hates us all I bet. I don't know why they have him as a teacher."

            "Well you know Furinkan, they accept any teachers since there short on it…"

            Ranma clenched his fist as he stared at the boys, though he still doesn't know why. Sure he protects females cause there weaker than boys, but yet this anger was a bit different. It was like he was jealous of them…wait jealous? How can that be? I already have three fiancées that want me and especially an uncute one. How can I be jealous? That…that isn't possible? Can it?

            But before he could finish, he stared out the window as he tried to think.

            I don't get it…why do I feel this way? Mizuho-sensei is my teacher and of course she is the weaker sex and of course a martial artist has a duty to protect the weak, yet what I don't understand is why I feel so protective about her? I usually protect that uncute, built like a brick tomboy that constantly has to vent her anger on me. Why am I feeling like I have more than a duty to protect Mizuho-sensei? It is as if I feel that she wants me to protect her…but that can't be right…its…

            "Ranma Saotome!"

            Kei-sensei threw a piece of chalk at Ranma who quickly turned his head and raised his right hand to grab the piece of chalk and set it on the desk without blinking an eye.

            "Eh…yah Kei-sensei?"

            Kei-sensei fumed at the fact that Ranma wasn't paying attention to him for the last twenty minutes since he entered class and everybody settled down to listen to his lectures.

            "Ranma Saotome, since you didn't pay attention I guess it means you knows how to do this problem on the board. Would you care to answer it and teach how you got the problem solved?"

            "Uh…eh…"

            Kei-sensei smirked as he pointed at the chalk at his desk.

            "Well you have the chalk Saotome, come, come we haven't had all day. Answer and tell us how you got to solve it."

            As Ranma stared at the board, he scratched his head.

            "Um..Kei-sensei…uh…..I…eh…"

            Before he could think of a quick excuse, his stomach roared as it gave its own damn excuse.

            The class immediately exploded in laughter as they saw Ranma clutch his stomach, which rumbled in hunger since he never was able to complete his lunch.

            "Ah damn…I didn't finish my meal that Kasumi made…"

            Kei-sensei's face turned red from the blood that seems to boil.

            "RANMA SAOTOME! BUCKETS HALLWAY NOW!"

            Ranma sighed in defeat as he walked out the class while grabbing the buckets of water next to the hallway while hearing some more giggles of the class.

            "Hehe way to go Ranma! That is how you show Kei-sensei!"

            "Show him whose boss Ranma!"

            One girl clasped her hands together while eyes were being starry.

            "Ranma the rebel! How romantic!"

            Many of the other girls nodded while having hearts flutter around them as they saw the martial artist walk towards the door.

            Ranma just grumbled as he walked out of the class and stood in the hallway while holding the buckets of water into the air.

            Though he didn't mind missing class since holding buckets is what he did constantly at school and it was a lot more fun since he can train instead of listening to dumb boring lectures from stupid teachers, it bothered him that he was thinking of something important and then was force to lose his thought to a stupid problem.

            "Feh…who needs math? I'm going to be the best martial artist in the world. No need for math, I just need to know how to use my fist."

            "That is right Ranma, master the fist while I still defeat you with my brain."

            Ranma turned to the side to see an approaching figure walking toward him.

            "Nabiki…"  
            Ranma curled his lips in defiance as he watched one of his hated foe walk up to him seductively with her hips swaying and her head tilted the side to show a lustful look, but though it seemed enticing, she was deadly as a snake. They wait til you get close so they strike and thus its over.

            "Oh hello Ranma…fancy meeting you here. Seems you got kicked out of class again hmmm? I guess you overslept again?"

            Nabiki smirked as she crossed her hands together while leaning toward Ranma to give another condescending smirk at her quick way to make money.

            "So what? I always do this…besides who needs school… I need time to train."

            Nabiki lifted up her hands mockingly while nodding her head.

            "Of course, of course Saotome-kun, you don't need school, all you have to do is train to be the best at fighting, while doing a few scandalous poses for me in some lingerine underwear and such for the nice crowd. I'm sure the people will be drooling off your skills as a martial artist or is that your curse? After all school will never teach you how to come up with a cure…"

            Ranma growled at Nabiki who had her hand patting his cheek.

            "Can it Nabiki. I don't need you to insult me for the things I do, especially insulting me about my curse and such."

Nabiki smirked while putting hands on her skirt. She then put her hands in a mocking afraid look."

"Oh? Am I making you angry Ranma? Did the big, bad martial artist getting annoyed by a poor little girl like me? What are you going to do? Beat me up?"

Then she smiled evilly as she waggled a finger at him.

"Oh wait, I forgot, you can't hurt females. That is your duty right because after all we are the weaker sex right? So what are you going to do now Saotome-kun?"

Ranma growled once more as he tightened his grip on the buckets and it forced his knuckles to pure white as anger surged all around him.

Nabiki chuckled lightly as she leaned toward him.

"You can't do diddle squat and you know it. Because if you do, I am sure I can't Akane and the rest of the Nerima Wrecking Crew to come after you. After all, making any little mistake with me can cause the biggest consequence in your life."

Nabiki leaned closer while Ranma shivered, not of fear, but the rage that wants to boil over.

"If you think you have been through hell Ranma-kun, well you got another thing coming to you. I can make it so your soul is ripped apart and make you scream in agony and that I can do with a snap of my fingers. You think I'm afraid of your fist. Sorry big boy, but you are way out of your league if you want to challenge me. Its not brawns anymore hun, its brains, and that is what you lack. After all, like you said you a martial artist doesn't need school, he needs to master his art…"

Nabiki leaned even closer until he her mouth was right next to his ear and she talked in a more lower tone, with a seductive voice as the breathe of her mouth tickled his ear.

"Don't cross me Saotome-kun. Every little mistake you make, I will know…and you will pay hun. So instead of fighting me…submit to me… I'm sure it will be a lot more fun… and perhaps more pleasurable… for you…and maybe even me…"

Nabiki had her hands stroking his back while lowering itself lower and lower and as she finished her speech, she brought a hand to reach Ranma's ass and pinched it.

Ranma nearly jumped up in the air and was about to spill the water, but his instinct took over as fought for balance, which in the end he slowly succeeded in.

Nabiki smirked once more as she leaned back and clapped her hand.

"Bravo Saotome-kun, it seems your martial arts never fail you…except oh what is that..oh yes..except it fails to me."

Nabiki put her hands on her chest to emphasize the point.

Ranma just shook with rage and as he spoke, his voice trembled in fury and vehemence.

"Why..why don't…don't you go to class…Nabiki…"

Nabiki pouted slightly while putting hands on her hips once more.

"You want me to leave so soon Ranma? Well, no matter, you see this school belongs to me, so does the teachers so they don't care how late I am, so I don't need to worry, but since I'm still in a good mood today, out of your sake Saotome-kun, I'll leave and be careful about those buckets…you don't want to trigger your curse outside of class right?"

Nabiki winked seductively at Saotome-kun while lifting a finger to kiss it and pressing it to Ranma's mouth.

"I'll see you later…Saotome-kun…"

Nabiki continued her walk once more as she lazily swung her hips while crossing her arms.

Ranma snarled as he still shook with fury, but as she disappeared down the hallway, Ranma slowly closed his eyes and tried to relax himself through meditative techniques that he learned while at some Buddhist temple. 

"Got to relax….can't let Nabiki get to me…can't let her…I just can't…"

As Ranma took deep breathes and slowly let it out, some of the angry slowly burned off, but still a lingering hate still boils in him as he his knuckles changed to purple color from the bruise that was starting to form from the tightening grip of the buckets.

"…Nabiki…you and I will settle…this…I promise…"

As he took another deep breathe, the bell rang once more, signaling the end of school, which immediately doors to classes swung open and students came out in a flood while chatting about the latest rumors and raves.

"Did you know there is a party at my house tonight?"

"Dude, that chick wants you!"

"Nah…"

As the drone of voices continued, Ranma quickly went into class to drop his buckets and then went back outside. He pretty much ignored most of the voices til one very clear and loud one rang in his ear.

My lovely flower! Mizuho-sensei, I have come to bask in your petals of love as I wish to court with you thee for I am the noblest house of Kuno and I, Takawaki wish to…"

Ranma snarled in anger as he clenched his fist and… moved.

While that happened, his pair of buddies, Hiroshi and Daisuke appeared to look for Ranma and saw him standing there while clenching his fist.

"Yo Ranma! There is a party at Yuka…"

Before Hiroshi could finish a person walk in front of Ranma for one second and then walked past him, but then there was no Ranma…

"What the hell?"

Hiroshi and Daisuke blinked to see that the Ranma who was standing there before them suddenly disappear.

"Now come come my lovely flower come and urk..."

Kuno looked down to see a punch right into his stomach, which definitely took his breathe away and when he looked up he saw a malicious face staring at him. The eyes were of pure anger while lips were curled in an angry snarl.

"Stay away from her!!"

Ranma pulled his fist back and as Kuno fell forward slight, Ranma spun to launch a devastating roundhouse kick that punted Kuno out of the window and towards the pool.

Mizuho-sensei gasped at the speed of Ranma's arrival and then she just stared at the power of his kick. She recalled the incident of what happened and she couldn't believe it.

Mizuho-sensei heard the bell ring and she turned to face the class while bowing slightly toward them.

"That..um..concludes our session for today…take care and finish the homework assigned on page 78."

The students quickly bowed to say goodbye while walking out the classroom and as they did, she looked down at the desk to see about two dozen fruits laid before her from the boys of her classes, which she thanked gratefully.

"Such nice kids…"

She then grabbed her briefcase and nodded her head as she walked out of the classroom as everyone was already outside in the hall, advancing toward the exit and as she stepped outside, she heard a familiar voice.

"My lovely flower, let us date!"

Mizuho-sensei turned to the sound to see a familiar…well somewhat familiar being appeared before her with a rose.

"Takawaki?"

She stared at the young man that stood before her who sported numerous amounts of bandages and had antiseptic sprayed all around him since his burns while quite deep.

My lovely flower! Mizuho-sensei, I have come to bask in your petals of love as I wish to court with you thee for I am the noblest house of Kuno and I, Takawaki wish to be with you."

Mizuho-sensei stared at the rose and took it.

"Um…ano…why thank you um…Takawaki…but um..ano I have plans…"

"Of course of course you have plans with me…"

Mizuho-sensei shook her head.

"No Takawaki, I have plans to work, I have to finish these papers…"

Takawaki shook his head while lightly grabbing her head to take her away.

"Now come come my lovely flower come and urk..."

Mizuho-sensei shook her head as she stared at the power what Ranma possessed, but another part of her felt warm in the fact that Ranma was protecting her, it was as if she was some fair maiden to be rescued by her knight in shining armor. She blushed at the fantasy idea, but though it was a mere dream, it seems enchanting idea.

"Um…Mizuho-sensei? Are you okay? Did that Kuno freak try anything?"

Mizuho-sensei turned to the voice and she smiled slightly.

"No, no Ranma-kun, I am fine, see no bruises or anything on me. Arigato."

Mizuho-sensei then giggled a bit.

"Do you save all your teachers from troubles like these?"

Ranma blushed while scratching the back of his head.

"Eh..hehe…..eh…"

Before he could finish, his stomach growled once more, which forced Ranma to sigh.

Mizuho-sensei stopped giggling as she heard the rumbling of Ranma's stomach.

"It seems you didn't eat much did you Ranma-kun?"

Ranma shook his head as he rubbed his tummy.

"No, that stupid tomboy knocked me away from my lunch…boy am I hungry.."

Mizuho-sensei smiled lightly as she reached into her pockets and took out a box of Pocky.

"Would you like some then? I can share with you some of this. I know it isn't much, but it's at least something to eat."

Ranma stared at the Pocky and gave a goofy grin.

"Arigato Mizuho-sensei."

Ranma took a Pocky stick and ate one while Mizuho-sensei took one also to eat one, but while she ate, Ranma looked at her and stared at the way she was eating her Pocky.

Mizuho-sensei quickly realized that Ranma was staring her at her, so her cheeks slightly flushed to a lighter shade of red that easily made her a bit prettier since it enhanced her hair color.

"Um..ano..Ranma-kun…why are you staring at me like that?"

Ranma shook his head.

"Gomen, um…do you believe in déjà vu?"

Mizuho-sensei arched an eyebrow.

"Deja vu?"

Ranma nodded his head.

"Hai…déjà vu, something you think you seen before and perhaps you have. Well it sounds kind of ridiculous, but the way you eat that Pocky reminds me of something, but I have no idea what it was…maybe it is just me…"

Mizuho-sensei's eyes widened a little as Ranma said those words.

Can he? Can he remember? Maybe? Is this possible? But he said he is not quite sure…well…it's a start.

"Well Ranma, if this is not familiar, then at least you are discovering new things in your life."

Ranma grinned.

"Heh..ya…a discovery…"

While they continued to eat, behind a large potted tree stood a lone individual who was holding a camera and zooming in on them as she took snap shoots of them.

"Heh…Saotome-kun like I said every little mistake you make, I will know…and you will pay hun. Heh…boy aren't you going to get it."

As she continued to take snapshots, someone else was watching them too. A lone figure watched the couple, but more importantly looked at the young female that was hiding and taking photos. He arched his eyebrows and craned its head to the side while looking at the young girl who wore a regular Furinkan school uniform. Then he made a slight sound out of his mouth as he smiled a little.

Nabiki Tendo felt something, it was gut instinct that was telling her someone was watching, so she immediately scanned the crowd and as she scanned, she saw something bright, but she blinked and then it was gone.

"Huh? Something yellow…? What was that? Hmm…"

She looked around once more and then she shrugged seeing no one in particular looking at her, knowing that anyone who does will pay dearly for it and the rest of Furinkan High knew that too.

"Must be the sun…"

She turned back and looked at the pair as she zoomed in closer and took more pictures.

"You Saotome-kun, may be my little sister's fiancée, but you belong to me."

And then she turned to look at the young substitute that recently arrived to the school.

"And you Mizuho-sensei, you may have a clean record, but it seems your hiding a bit more than it seems and I plan to find out what it is!"

-End of Chapter C&C are welcome-

  
  


  
  
  



	3. Photograph Memories

Unforgettable Promise

  
  
  


Chapter 3

  
  
  


Photograph Memories

  
  
  
  


Sighing in resignation, the young martial artist walked on the fence recalling the disastrous episodes at school. After knocking out Kuno and avoiding Ryouga long enough to watch him run the other direction, he had to handle and take the beating of his finacees as they tried to present him their delicious foods cept of course one pile of slop that seem to come alive. Ranma sighed knowing that he shouldn't have shot his mouth off last night when he said that Akane can never be good as Kasumi. This resulted in Akane's explosive determined behavior to create a bubbly bluish texture called soup, which he so did not want to touch.

Though the day had seemed fairly typical, a new complication in his already complicated life had appeared which was Ms. Mizuho, the new substitute teacher. Every time they he looks as her, she mad his knees feel weak and his lip parch dry. It was difficult enough to be near her, but trying to talk to her was much worse. With parched

lips and a brain that refused to work, any attempts at conversation went out the window. Yet, for some reason, she didn't seem to mind. She just watched him and smiled as if she knew something that he didn't.

"Man, why am I feeling like this? Why did I get nervous around her?"

To a rather ordinary fellow in Nerima, seeing the martial artist talking to himself as if deep in thought was rather astounding. Word had been passed around that although he was a prodigy in the martial arts, when it came to intellectual pursuits, he was sub par.

One person would affirm that assumption, she believed that he was nothing more than a dumb jock, yet another easy mark, someone to con and milk for all he's worth. She hadn't realized that the young martial artist was actually rather bright, just so dedicated to the martial arts that he had never tried to apply that intelligence to other fields.

His father hadn't properly taught his son how to interact with other people in a normal society. While his behavior was perfectly acceptable in his father's eyes, the average person on the street saw

nothing more than an arrogant and rude individual.

Ranma Saotome scratched the back of his head as he sighed once more, thinking about his life and why he was like this. Here he was, one of the best martial artists in the world. Hell, there were a number of martial arts circuits proclaiming him to be the best of his generation. Yet, that's the only thing he had that could be considered great. Everything else in his life was a disaster. 

He had multiple fiancees that seemed to hound him constantly, deceiving or manipulating him for their own aims. Even his family, the ones he loved are also tying him down with the so called "honour", which in case he has more of that in one little toenail than the rest of his family except his mother, but she is slightly deillusional in honour and manliness.

With the ocurrrence of multiple fiancees, there definitely needs to be a group of haters that would pursue him to the ends of the earth to gut him, tar him, and humiliate him in anyway possible.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, the constant thoughts roaming in his head were already starting to give him a slight headache.

"Man, why is my life like this?"

While his thoughts continue to roam, a young fellow was walking his way, they didn't notice each other as they were both lost in thought, but as they got closer, the prodigy of martial arts lifted his head and eyed the young fellow.

"The way he moves, doesn't really make him much of a martial artist, plus his body structure is a bit scrawny, it reminds me of Gosunkungi, hehe..."

The young fellow looked up into the sky and then adjusted his small glasses while walking in a steady pace. As he walked, he noticed a person standing on the fence, this prompted thought as how one can get on top of a fence and balance on it.

Adjusting the glasses once more, the young fellow looked up, blinking a bit though from the strong rays of the sun that seem to slightly blind him, he raised a hand to cover his eyes as he nodded at the fellow that seem to stand on the fence.

"Hello."

Ranma nodded his head in acknowledgement as he flipped off the fence and landed easily feet first on the pavement, like a gold medal gymnast.

Ranma stretched a bit, to get the kinks out of his body as he returned to gaze at the fellow and saw that the person nothing uncommon and the stance was too lax to look like he would fight me.

An awkward silence appeared as the two young males looked at one another.

"Um, my name is Shinjo, Hikaru Shinjo, please to meet you."

Hikaru gave a slight bow in respect as Ranma was surprised at that respective gesture.

"uh..yeah...um..my name..is..er.. Saotome, Ranma Saotome."

Ranma stammered those words out as he gave a slight bow, but as he raised his head to look at Hikaru, he saw disbelief in his eyes.

"Ranma? Ranma Saotome? As in son to Genma Saotome?"

Ranma raised an eyebrow as he was wondering what was going on. He hoped that lazy bastard didn't cause any trouble again that would pull him into another problem in his list. It's as if the people that hate him or want him were standing in a line, waiting for their turn to arrive.

"Uh..yeah, I'm the son of Genma Saotome."

Hikaru shook a bit slightly as his lips curled into a smile.

"RANMA! Its me, Hikaru Shinjo!"

Ranma raised an eyebrow in a questioning matter.

Hikaru laughed a bit as he patted Ranma's shoulder.

"Remember 4 years ago when you were in America, I was the one who was tutoring you because I demanded that your father, that lazy lout, get you a decent education. Of course he thought martial artist don't need so called numbers and words in their head cept martial art techniques, but I was able to make a deal with him to tutor you."

Ranma's eyes widened as he remembered that time in America. He recalled those moments when he was somewhat practicing english and trying to figure out numbers in his head, instead of dozing off. 

Ranma laughed as he clasps his tutor and his friend's hand.

"Good to see you Hikaru! But what are you doing here?"

Hikaru wiped a tear off his eye as he smiled.

"Well, my first term in college is over and I had a month off, so my uncle who lives in Nerima offered me a job to work with him. I need money to pay for college tuition, so I took up the offer and so here I am. I'm glad to see you Ranma, I thought I wouldn't make any friends around here."

Ranma smiled.

"Well Ranma Saotome is here, so you have a friend here."

Hikaru laughed once more, but he turned serious.

"Well Ranma it was a pleasure talking to you, but I have to get going, I need to help out my uncle's shop, lets meet up sometime and we will catch up those 4 years we haven't seen each other.

Ranma nodded his head and clasp his friend's hand once more as they gave their good-byes and parted for their own business.

Ranma put his hand behind his head as he smiled and whistled aimlessly. 

"Boy, I can't believe Hikaru is here. I have Ucchan, my best friend and now I have Hikaru. I guess this day didn't end that bad after all."

  


The next day as Ranma once more took the fence to walk to school, he saw Akane still staring at him in rage.

"Geez Akane, what the heck was that for?"

Akane fumed at Ranma.

"What do you mean what the heck was that for? You deserved it you pervert!"

Ranma rubbed his forehead as if he can still feel the pain from the mallet that had appeared in Akane's hand from out of nowhere.

"I'm a pervert? What are you talking about? I was in the furo first and you walked right into there. Shouldn't you be the pervert?"

Akane's eyes blazed in fury as she kicked the fence hoping that Ranma falls off. Luckily, Ranma saw that coming and in a split second leapt off the fence and made a nice flip onto the pavement.

Akane fumed once more as she just snarled and ran past Ranma and headed straight for Furinkan High.

Ranma sighed a bit and picked up his pace as he watched Akane go past the gates of Furinkan High. As he past through the gates, waiting to see Akane beat down the Hentai Horde, he saw none of the boys moving or doing anything to try to win Akane's affection.

Akane of course was shocked as she stood in the middle of the courtyard and looked around to see none of his admirers charging at her to try to win a date off of her.

"What's going on?"

As she glanced around, her senses kicked in as she caught the red rose that seem to appear right before her. With a sigh of resignation she looked ahead to see a shadow figure emerge from behind a tree, revealing an older individual wearing a hakama and had a bokken resting on his right shoulder.

"What do you want Kuno?"

Kuno used his left hand to take out another rose and took a whiff of that, which blossomed a few days ago.

"Can you not smell the sweetness of the rose my fierce tigress?"

Akane shrugged and threw the rose casually aside as if it meant nothing to her.

"I don't really care Kuno, what do you want?"

Kuno raised his bokken into the air as if he was making a proclamation.

"I, Takawaki Kuno, known as the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High has cancelled the courting attempts to my fierce tigress Akane Tendo, thus no male will pursue her to date her, or they will feel the wrath of the Heavens!"

Akane and Ranma's jaws dropped as they heard the news.

"Wha...What? Ho..How come?"

Kuno shook his head and then clasp his hands together as tears formed in his eyes.

"It was because of the beautiful maiden. The flowery Mizuho has shown me the true noble way in courting an individual. Her gentleness and her feminine gestures called upon the Heavens to intervene and stop this courting. She declared it violent and unjust as one should show love and affection through words and of the heart."

Kuno smiled as once more.

"Thus I have cancelled the courting of Akane Tendo and I will court you with the way a true noble samurai should. Once I win your love and the pigtail goddess, I will win the lovely maiden Mi...URK!!"

A gasp of breath whooshed out of Kuno's mouth as he shook with pain. He looked down to see a fist planted into his stomach, shaking his body and making him go into shock and as he turned his head up, he saw the individual that cursed his name and his honour, hindering his attempts to woo his goddesses.

"Curse you Ranma....Saotome...."

Kuno slumped forward and fell to the floor unconscious while Ranma pulled his fist back. His eyes blazed with anger and resolve as he stared at the pitiful body before him.

"Damn you Kuno, don't you try doing something like that on Ms. Mizuho..."

Ranma snarled at Kuno's unconscious form while Akane's eyes were widened before narrowing in anger as she trembled with rage.

"RANMA, YOU PERVERT!!!"

Ranma turned his head to the sound of Akane's scream and then was enveloped in darkness as that mallet smashed into his face, rendering him unconscious.

  


Ranma opened his eyes as he gazed his surroundings, he looked around, but all he saw was empty space, nothing around him as he scratched his head.

"Man, what happened?"

A slight giggle was heard to the left of him as he jerked his head to the left.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

Then the giggle was heard once more, but this time it was to the right of him.

Ranma jerked his head to the sound and narrowed his eyes to see if anyone was there, but he didn't see anyone.

"Hello? Can you hear me? If you can, show yourself!"

Ranma slowly slid his left leg out as he was prepared to get into a fighting position. This emptiness was getting to him and he didn't really like surprises.

"Put those hands down Ranma-kun, I'm not here to hurt you, unless you think I am."

"Eh?"

Ranma swiveled around to see a young female with pink hair standing before him.

Ranma's eyes widened as he recognized her.

"Mizuho-sensei!"

Mizuho giggled as she approached Ranma. As she got closer she spread her arms out and wrapped it around his waist and started stroking his back to ease his tension.

"Yes, Mizuho I was, but that is not my surname anymore Ranma-kun." She whispered softly as she leaned her head onto his chest.

The warmth from Mizuho made Ranma blush bright red as he enjoyed the sensation, yet when he heard that she wasn't Mizuho anymore, his eyes narrowed as he felt a slight anger starting to arise. Still, trying to stop his anger that was slowly surging forth, he tried to ask his question.

"So er...what is your surname now? Ms. Mizuho..," as a slight hiss of his voice was heard from his anger.

Mizuho smiled as she snuggled even closer to Ranma.

"My Ranma-kun, I never knew you would be this dense, especially at this moment, but then again it always made you cute.

Ranma blushed a bit more as he stammered.

"I'm... I'm cute?"

Mizuho smiled softly as she closed her eyes.

"Of course, Ranma Saotome, that is why I married..."

  


Ranma snapped his head awake as the bell was ringing quite loudly.

"Argh..."

Ranma covered his eyes as he slowly got up from the bed he was lying onto.

"Man, what happened?"

"You got knocked out by my dear sister of course."

Ranma turned his head to the middle Tendo sister, who was smiling slightly, being amused from this incident.

"Thanks for the obvious Nabiki."

"Well you asked what happened."

Nabiki smiled once more as she sat on the chair that was close to Ranma's bed.

"But uh...how did I get here?"

Nabiki smirked.

"That was because of me, I saw your body lying on the floor with Akane trudging off to class, so I decided to lend a hand."

Ranma nodded his head.

"I'm grateful Nabiki."

Nabiki smiled once more as she got out of the chair and straightened her skirt,

"Well then, you better get going and check yourself out from the nurse's office, lunch is beginning and also you owe me 1000 yen for taking you here. I'll take the cash when we get back. Take care of yourself Ranma and don't get hurt like that again, though I don't mind charging you to take you here." 

With a light skip in her walk, she was out of the nurse's office.

Ranma sighed as he heard Nabiki charging him for taking him here. Figures that she would since after all she is the Ice Queen of Furinkan High and any task you ask her to do, she will charge you until you have to give up your arm and leg.

Ranma pushed the blanket out of the bed and slipped out of the it, with a slight checkup from the nurse and the confirmation to leave, he quickly exited the office and noticed no one was around in the hall.

"Hmm everyone must be eating in class or outside. I better get going."

But as he scanned the classrooms, nobody was there, this surprised Ranma as he walked down the lower level to retrieve his shoes and bento and exited the entrance to head to his favorite tree.

Once he got outside, he saw that most of the Furinkan students were crowding at one corner. This prompted his curiosity as he walked up to the crowd and tried to look at what was going on.

Seeing that he probably couldn't get through the wall of students, he gave an exasperated sigh as he took a step back and then pushed himself off the floor as he was once more airborne. With a bit of finesse and tilting of his body, he easily landed on the wall of Furinkan High and thus he quickly sat down to see what was going on.

As he scanned what was going on, he saw a person quickly stand put some posters on the walls of Furinkan High and then turned to the crowd of students.

Ranma's eyes widened as he saw his good friend facing the students of Furinkan High.

Hikaru gave a light cough and waves his hand to silence the students.

"Hello, my name is Hikaru Shinjo, I work for PhotoStar Studios. I am here to announce a contest that is being run by PhotoStar and Kodak. The contest is a couples photo contest. The best picture of a romantic couple, which must contain two students of Furinkan High, will receive a month's worth of ice cream from Minato's Ice Cream Parlor."

Chatter immediately erupted in the crowd of students as they were talking to each other.

Hikaru waved his hand once more to silence the crowd.

"Whomever is entering this contest must have a picture of themselves and their significant other. There will not be any fake pairings or such. Those photos will be immediately disqualified. Also the pictures must be taken in the morning or afternoon. Night pictures are not allowed. You may request someone to take your couple picture, but he or she will not get the prize. Only the couple will be given the prize. The pictures must be of a couple from Furinkan High who truly love each other. The deadline is in one week. If there is any more questions, please come to me to ask, but other than that, good luck to all of you!"

The Furinkan students disbanded into their own crowds as gossip was roaming around.

"Couples pictures?"

One girl turn to another.

"How can that be possible? We don't even have a date."

Another girl sighed as she stared at the boys.

"Also the boys don't even like us, they probably hound the all favorable Akane Tendo again."

Most of the girls sighed in defeat while the boys were gathering together.

"Its simple, we just take a picture with the beautiful Akane Tendo and turn it in."

One boy had a concerned look.

"How do we do that?"

Kuno suddenly appeared in the crowd and waved his bokken into the air.

"Simple my pitiful peasant, whoever defeats her in battle will be allowed to take a picture of her! Thus Takawaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, has spoken and thus the Heavens has judged it thee as a righteous cause!"

A flash of lightning appeared as it gave a nice flashy appearance for Kuno as the rest of the Hentai Horde screamed in glee while planning out how to get their picture taken with Akane and win the month of free ice cream.

Ranma sighed as he heard about the contest.

"This contest doesn't really sound that great... I don't know why, but I got a bad feeling about this."

"Ran-chan! Did you hear! Couple picture contest! Take a picture with your cute fiancee Ucchan! We will definitely win this contest!"

Ranma pinched his nose as he looked up into the sky.

"Damn you Kami-sama! Why do you curse me so?!"

Ukyo smiled happily about this contest since she thought by taking a picture with Ranma, she knew that love would blossom from that romantic moment and then surely Ranma would marry her.

At that same moment however, a purple hair individual appeared to try to glomp Ranma.

"Wo ai ni! Husband will take picture with me yes?"

Ranma struggled through the glomp as he was trying to eat.

Ukyo saw this and her hand immediately went to grab her spatula.

"You purple hair jackass, don't you try to take my sugar away! Anyways, you can't take a picture with him. Your not even a student of Furinkan High."

Shampoo's eyes widened as she realized that truth.

"Aieee...this is not good, must tell great grandmother, she will know what to do! I will be back husband, then you and me take picture, YES?!"

Shampoo leapt away from Ranma as she jumped onto her bike and pedaled back to Nekohanten, in search of an answer from her wise grandmother.

Ranma sighed in disbelief as he once more being hounded by this chaos.

"Damn it, now all I need is duck-boy and lost pig to appear."

"RANMA! HOW DARE YOU CHEAT ON AKANE!!!"

"RANMA! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH SHAMPOO!"

Ranma pinched his nose once more as he leapt off the wall and went into battle with his rivals that were bent on crushing him.

"DAMN IT..."

  
  


Ranma sighed as he laid on the porch of the Tendo residence. As he sat there, he stared out at the koi pond.

"Man, why does my life get worse and worse. Though my friend Hikaru arrived, why does he have to announce that contest. For sure my fiancees will be after me for the photo and my rivals will be there just to kill me for supposedly cheating or seducing my fiancees.

Ranma sighed once more as he put his hand behind his head.

As he was doing that, Nabiki smirked as he saw Ranma lying there, basically wallowing in misery.

"Well Ranma, though this is going to make if worse for you life, I have to make the money. Its for the family you know."

Nabiki twirled her hand as she quickly snatched her camera. Since she has been taking picture of Ranma and Akane in different scenarios, her skills in photograph was quite well known in Furinkan High. Such skills that were quite needed by many of the students there and where the money are, Nabiki will be there.

While Nabiki was sorting out her photography sessions, Akane was in her room, hugging her pillow while staring at P-chan who suddenly appeared a few hours ago. Though he was quite dirty as if he was on the road for weeks. 

"P-chan, this couple contest. Should I go with it? Should I take a picture with Ranma? I know he is a jerk and all, but...should I? I know Minato's ice cream is the best in Nerima, but what Hikaru said about the picture and how the couple should be in love...Should I do this?

Akane squeezed her pillow as she tried to think of reasons of doing this photo contest, yet deep down inside her heart, she had feelings and feminine qualities that deem her to care and be in concern about this contest. She was in trouble, yet she wasn't sure what she wanted to do. Part of her wanted to take it with Ranma, but why? To get the ice cream? Or...or what Hikaru was saying? About being a couple in love? That isn't possible right?

Akane shook her head in confusion as she just stared at P-chan.

"What should I do P-chan? what should I do?"

P-chan oinked as he stared at Akane, his heart was breaking with what he heard from his true love. Ryoga Hibiki, cursed by the springs of Jusenkyo, stared at his love and cursed the day of this contest. Why could it not be him as the one to take the picture with Akane? Why couldn't the couple picture be of him and Akane? he didn't care about winning, all he cared was taking that romantic moment and forever treasuring it.

"Damn you, Ranma Saotome, its all your fault! You better make Akane happy or I swear I will crush your pitiful body and fling it to Hell!"

Though he was trying to say that, but in his pig form, all he could say where oinks and snorts. 

Akane giggled as grabbed P-chan and snuggled him to her chest, close to her bosom.

"Your so helpful P-chan, I'm glad to have you!"

P-chan didn't hear that since he was passed out from the nosebleed that erupted when he was being cuddled with Akane.

  
  


Ranma slumped to his desk as he stared at the blackboard, trying to decipher what the board was trying to tell, though he had no clue what it was. Mizuho-sensei was lecturing about english sentences while most of the guys were glued to her body, not the board, which seem to annoy Ranma quite easily.

The girls on the other hand were privately discussing about the contest by passing notes around and whispering to one another.

Mizuho-sensei, the new substitute teacher in Furinkan High was growing increasingly worried about her students. Her students weren't really concentrating on their studies and this contest that she recently heard seem to agitate much of the student populace. She tried stopping the fight with Akane this morning, but with no avail since their was too many boys attacking her and she couldn't do anything about it.

"Um, ano..children..um, ano..please settle down."

Even though she was concerned about her students, she was more concerned on one individual.

Her head turned slightly to see the depressed martial artist that seem to have no life in him as he lay on the desk.

"Ranma-kun," she whispered, though to no one, but herself.

With a slight shake of her head, she went back to teaching, though her mood was slightly dampened.

  
  


Ranma leaned onto his favorite tree while closing his eyes to take a nap. The sun was nice and the wind was a gentle breeze that was quite calming. The atmosphere was perfect for sleeping except what while nature was playing a positive role, mankind was being destruction.

"Akane! Take a picture with me!"

"Akane! Lets share the ice cream together!"

"Akane! You and I are meant to be!"

Cries of males were heard as they charged at Akane Tendo like an advancing offensive line of football players. Naturally this gave Akane the anger to energize her feet and fists as she charged into the crowd and dished out her hatred.

"Grrr....I HATE BOYS!!!!"

Punches connected as bodies flew out of the line,others crumbled to the floor from the connection of kicks that seem to smash right into their jaws. Once in awhile Akane shifted into the Anything Goes Style and was able to avoid blows and launch counters, but usually it was she strikes first and when she strikes, that person stays down.

Naturally the nurse was standing outside while holding bandages to patch up the surviving male members. The others that were unconscious were being carried away on stretchers. And once more, a failed attempt at capturing Akane Tendo's heart has caused multiple injuries to the male population in Furinkan High.

Ranma plugged his ears and continued to keep his eyes closed, wondering if he can enjoy the atmosphere, but it was not to be as two familiar people appeared.

"Ran-chan! Where do you want to take our picture, Ran-chan!"

"Husband will take picture with me!"

Ukyo turned to Shampoo who was hefting steel bonbori, but that didn't mean Ukyo wasn't prepared to fight. Her hands were itching to pull out her family weapon, the giant spatula that was sheathed on her back.

"What are you talking about you jackass? Ran-chan is purpose to take a picture with me and didn't I tell you already? Only Furinkan students can take pictures."

Ukyo's eyes turn heart shape as she imagined the romantic moment and the part where Ranma confessed his love and married her.

Shampoo smiled as she hefted an ID card.

"Shampoo is also student of Furinkan High. Shampoo got ID card!"

Ukyo snapped our of her reverie as she was shocked to see a Furinkan High ID card with Shampoo's name on it.

"But, but how?"

Shampoo smiled triumphantly.

"Great-grandmother always thinks of everything to get Shampoo's husband!"

Ukyo pulled out her spatula and brandished it menacingly.

"Oh no you don't sugar, Ran-chan and I are destined to have that photo taken and you aren't stopping us."

Shampoo twirled her bonbori.

"Shampoo shall see about that."

With a blink of an eye, they leapt at each other to deal with the couple contest while Ranma totally ignored them and tried to take a nap.

Though in the school, Mizuho-sensei stared at Ranma and sighed depressingly as she fished in her box for another pocky and ate one while thinking of what to do to brighten her class and most of all, brighten Ranma's life.

"what to do...what to do..."

As she pondered, the secretary watched Mizuho-sensei in deep thought.

Lin smiled as she then looked outside the window to see the chaos that often happens in Furinkan High.

"Thank goodness we have Mizuho-sensei, for she is a blessing and I know somehow she will find a way to get to them and find a way to change this school entirely around."

  
  


As Ranma went home, walking on the fence once more, balancing not only his body, but his chaotic life, many of the Furinkan girls were slowly heading the same direction he was, for some reason.

Giggles and whispers were heard as Ranma tried to ignore the noise again while pondering how to straighten out his life. Before he got too deep into his musing, he heard a tap on the fence.

Ranma finally decided to listen and jerked his head to that sound to see some of the Furinkan High females students standing right to the fence.

With a mental sigh and scratching the back of his head, he wondered what was going to happen next.

"So uh? What do you want?"

The girls giggled while finally one of them was confident enough to stand out of the crowd and look at Ranma, straight in the eye, but when she noticed those blue-gray eyes, she felt lost in them and her cheeks reddened a bit.

"Um..hehe..We were wondering...um can you help us?"

Ranma looked at them and wondered what was going on? Females were always hard to figure out, but they asked for help. He should help out, after all its a martial artist duty to help the weak. He hop down to the pavement and looked at them.

"So um, what do you want me to do?"

Ranma eyed the confident girl, but he noticed she was somewhat wavering. The girl had long brown hair while made into a ponytail. She was taller than most of the girls in Furinkan High, but not as tall as Ranma. She was probably about close to his lips. Because of the school's uniform and her height, her legs were quite easy to see, so they showed a lot about feminine properties and it can make any man go wild, but this is Furinkan High which has ignorant martial artists and a fan club only after one female.

Emiko Shudo, smiled a bit, while she tried to overcome her nervousness. She knew this was her only shot to try to make her plan work and if it did, she may get a chance of ice cream and maybe, just maybe a chance of love.

"Well er..Ranma, um we were wondering if you could um..help me with this martial art move.."

Emiko smirked a bit, knowing Ranma is a major martial artist buff and well known among the martial art circuit. By asking this question, she was sure that Ranma will fall into her hands.

"Um..uh sure. What move you talking about?"

Hook..Line..Sinker.

Emiko smiled a bit wider.

She took a step closer to Ranma while they were only inches away. She can almost feel the body heat that seem to wrap around her and made her feel so warmth. She could stand there all day, basking her heat, but she wanted something more than that.

"Um, yes, the move was this." 

Ranma, unaware on what was going to happen, just stood there, wondering what martial art move she was going to show.

Emiko watched Ranma not moving at all and immediately bolted into action, which caught Ranma offguard since he didn't expect this. She quickly leapt on him, wrapping her arms around him. She felt those solid muscles and stroked it gently while moaning a bit to feel those rock hardness of a body that has been trained for at least a decade. 

"Ack! Emiko...What are you doing?!"

Before anything else can happen, a whirl of a camera was heard as several snap shots of the camera was taken.

Ranma jerked his head at one of the girls who was holding a camera and shooting them.

Emiko giggled while blowing into Ranma's ear.

"Oh come now, Ranma...I know you liked it, and of course I sure did." She blushed a bit more, but she steeled her composure as she kept of the casual flirt.

Ranma panicked as he tried to get away, but with no avail since he didn't know what to do when girls get all goo goo on him. Social skills not been high on Genma's list of things to teach, so Ranma just stood there, wondering what else could go wrong.

"RANMA, YOU PERVERT!!!!"

With a cry that promised impending pain, she smashed her mallet into Ranma and launched him into the sky as once more he was airborne, which happened a lot in his life.

Akane Tendo fumed as she glared at the other girls, but they scampered away laughing heartily while accomplishing what they wanted. However, as the anger left after the mallet smash, only an ache and pain appeared in her. Akane closed her eyes as a small tear appeared on her eye. She closed her eye as she grabbed her bag and rushed home, not wanting anyone to see her in this state.

  
  


As the deadline for the contest was coming closer and closer, Ranma had to avoid massive waves of girls that seem to want to take a picture with him. Of course, with the professional skillsand manipulations of Nabiki Tendo, she earned her wages as she skillfully directed the girls to where Ranma would appear. Actions were made and the girls from Furinkan High earned their pictures while Ranma spent a great deal of time airborne courtesy of Akane Tendo, who was becoming far harsher in her hits.

Ranma slumped on Ucchan's counter as he tried to eat a pork okonomiyaki and tried to nurse his new bruises from being hugged too much and Akane smacking him off to space.

Ucchan stood over the grill as she made more okonomiyaki for the customers that seem to appear, but business was somewhat slow, so she took a break while Konatsu was busy washing the dishes and taking orders as a dutiful waiter.

Ucchan smiled a bit as she saw Ranma lying on the counter. This was her chance now to make her move and surely she will not miss it!

Ucchan walked up to Ranma and sat right next to him. 

"You all right sugar? You seem a bit down."

Ranma sighed as he poked his okonomiyaki.

"I guess, its just that all because of this photo contest, I have more than enough problems in my life, but now its becoming worse. Girls are coming at me in waves, just to get a snapshot of me."

Ukyo nodded in understanding as her fist clenched. Those girls were nothing, they had no right to touch her Ran-chan. No girl did. Only the cute fiancee Ukyo was able to. She was his finacee after all, so she gets the only privilege.

"Well, sugar, the contest is almost over, just two more days and it ends."

Ranma nodded.

Ukyo then slipped out of the chair as she went to the back to grab a cup and then slowly came out to her kitchen to whip up a drink. With the skills of a professional cook, she easily came up with a smoothie in matter of seconds.

Taking two straws, she quickly sat by Ranma and pushed the smoothie toward the center of them.

"Come on Ran-chan, cheer up, its almost over."

Ranma nodded his head as finally finished the okonomiyaki.

"You right, I should be thinking about that. Its almost over."

Ranma smirked a bit as Ukyo was able to comfort him.

"Thanks Ucchan, thanks for helping me out."

Ukyo smiled as she pushed the smoothie to him.

"Well here, have a drink! I think I'm going to have a smoothie stand in Ucchan and because your my fiancee, I decided to make it for you and so you be the first to drink it!"

Ranma smiled, but was kind of daunted about the finacee part, but since Ucchan helped him get better, he should at least do this part for her.

"Sure Ucchan."

As he grabbed a straw and pushed it into the smoothie, Ukyo touched Ranma's hand. Feeling the muscular, yet still soft, supple hands, she shook her head.

"Well um...Ran-chan, I need to taste it too. After all a chef needs to see if its good or not."

Ranma nodded his head as he pushed the smootie to her.

Ukyo smiled as she dipped in the other straw.

"Come on Ran-chan, you drink out of that straw and I'll drink out of this one."

Ranma nodded as he gave a light laugh and slowly drank out of the straw. Ukyo joined him and the atmosphere changed from a miserable aspect to a more happier place.

As they drank the smootie together, one of the customers smiled while watching the patron drink with another person.

"They look like a good couple."

His wife nodded as she leaned on his shoulder.

"Yes, Kaguya, they make a nice couple, reminds us when we were young?"

Kaguya smiled and poked her wife's belly, which was growing for about three months.

"What are you talking about? You and I are still young."

She giggled as they continued to eat their food.

  
  


Ranma finally reached Tendo dojo as he pushed off his shoes and walked into the dining room.

"Hello Ranma."

Ranma curtly nodded to the matron of the household who always put up a smile.

"Hello Kasumi."

Kasumi Tendo, the oldest sister of the Tendo family, was also the matron. She had sacrificed her chance for college and studies to take care of her family when their mother passed away. Her abundant energy focused on taking care of her guests and family members. She seemed radiant when she helped out anyone in need and it made people feel dazzled by her sincerity.

"Well Ranma, you missed dinner...I still have some leftovers, I can warm it up."

Ranma nodded his head as he accepted the proposal gratefully. As Kasumi went bustling into the kitchen, another one of the sisters appeared while carrying a bunch of rolls of film.

Ranma brought an eye up in wondering what Nabiki was doing.

"Where you going Nabiki?"

Nabiki turned to Ranma and smirked as she smiled a bit.

"Well getting these film developed of course. Thanks to you, I made a small bundle, enough to get by for about month. Thanks Ranma."

She quickly disappeared as she head out.

Ranma shook his head, but then realized something.

"Did she thank me? Nah that couldn't be...could it?"

Finally Kasumi appeared bringing the leftovers which he scarfed down in minutes. With a full stomach he gladly thanked Kasumi for the dinner as he walked up to his room to go to sleep. He felt tired from the chaotic events that seem to bustle in his life, but before he could, someone called to him.

"Um..Ranma?"

Ranma tured around to see Akane Tendo sort of fidgeting in front of him.

"Uh..yeah?"

Akane smiled a little as she grabbed Ranma's hand.

"Can you help me out?"

Ranma used his other hand to scratch his head.

"What do you need Akane?" 

Akane looked down a bit.

"Well...um..you know about this contest."

Ranma nodded his head, boy did he know about the contest, probably half the pictures are with him.

"Yeah, what about it?"

Akane looked at him.

"Would you..um..help me get the ice cream prize?"

Ranma's eyes widened as he heard her say those words.

"Uh..er.."

Akane blushed slightly.

"I'm not doing this for the couple thing, just for the ice cream. Okay?!"

Ranma nodded his head vigorously in understanding.

"Good!"

Akane quickly went into her room and closed the door. She sighed a bit as she leaned her head to the door. 

"Thank goodness...I was finally able to pull that off."

She smiled a bit then giggled.

"He did looked kind of cute with that face, instead of that macho jerk look."

She sat on her bed and hugged the pillow.

"I just hope everything works out."

  


Ranma and Akane walked together to school, both were somewhat silent, but the atmosphere was best for it since it was slightly awkward after that announcement of trying to win that contest.

Finally Ranma broke it as he was pondering what to do.

"Um..er. Akane? How we going to do this?"

Akane jerked her head to Ranma and was confused.

"Um..what you talking about?"

"You know the contest.."

Akane flushed a bit as she realized what Ranma was trying to say.

"Oh of course..sorry..hehe, my mind was thinking about something else."

Ranma nodded his head.

"Um..well I was wondering, you know, I know you wake up late and I always have to wake you up, but um...I'm wondering..."

Ranma nodded his head in agreement, remembering the times when she had that bucket of hers and flings freezing water on him.

"Well, I was wondering um..er..if you can wake up early.."

Ranma brought up an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I mean well, wake up early enough for the sunrise."

Akane flushed even more as she stared at the ground, wondering why the pavement was all pretty for some reason.

Ranma of course, with his usual cluelessness, didn't understand why she was flushed, but she came up with the idea.

"All right, I'll go along with it."

Akane brought up her head in surprise.

"You mean it?"

Ranma shrugged a bit.

"Hey its for the ice cream right?"

Akane slowly nodded as her eyes were filled with determination to win.

"All right!"

  


Ranma sat in class, with a confident attitude as he was watching Mizuho-sensei teach a history lesson. Though he didn't care about history, he was more worried about the teacher. The guys were still glued to her body and they had their hands, in well, some place. Though Mizuho-sensei didn't see this at all.

Though Ranma was mesmerozed by how Mizuho-sensei looked. The way she moved, the way she raised her hand and the eyes that seem to stare him, history was damn boring and he wouldn't listen to it.

Quietly he put his arms on the desk and then laid his head onto it as he drifted off to sleep.

As he slept, Mizuho-sensei noticed that Ranma wasn't paying attention anymore. With a sigh of annoyance, she picked up a piece of chalk and flung it at him. Though he was special, she couldn't put her personal life above education. She was here to teach and that is what she will do.

As the chalk flew at Ranma's head, his right hand in reflex snapped up to catch it and then it jerked back to throw it back at the person.

Mizuho-sensei's eyes widened and quickly caught the chalk before it hit her. She couldn't believe what happened. Why did Ranma-kun throw the chalk at her and is he really asleep?

With a sound of a snore from Ranma, it confirmed he was asleep.

Mizuho-sensei sighed and walked up to Ranma. She nudged him a bit while he didn't seem to respond to it.

"Ranma-kun, please wake up, you need to focus."

Ranma didn't hear it as he was off to the dream world.

"Ano..Ranma-kun..wake up please."

Ranma still didn't budge.

With an exasperated sigh, Mizuho-sensei held her book and smacked the table as loud as she could, this of course prompted Ranma to leap into the air and land in a defensive stance.

"Who, what? What happened?"

Mizuho-sensei sighed a bit as she stared at Ranma.

"Ranma, you slept in class..I'm ano..I'm afraid I need you to stand in the hall."

Though he heard this so many times with so many different teachers. Hearing it from Mizuho-sensei somehow hurt him. Not physically, but deep in him, he felt a blow striking to his heart.

His eyes met the stern and serious face of Mizuho as she raised a hand to point at the door. His body slightly trembled from the action, but he was being punished so he must do it.

His eyes went into betrayal and hurt as he nodded absently. With a slow, methodical walk, he grabbed the buckets and went to stand outside, but not before turning back at his teacher and just staring at her eyes. With a final nod in submission, he walked out of the door, to endure his punishment.

Right there and then, Mizuho wanted to die. She could feel the pain in her wracking heart when she saw those eyes. She couldn't bare to see them again and here it was, staring right back at her. She was on the verge of collapsing into tears in front of class, but she had to be strong...she just had too...

"Um..ano..class..that..um was punishment..for..sleeping."

Mizuho bit her lip as she tried to hold back the tears. She quickly walked to the blackboard and without facing the class, she continued with her lecture, not letting them see the tear drops sliding off her chin and hitting the floor.

  
  


Ranma reached an all time low, when Shampoo seemed to appear, waving a camera at him while holding a box with ramen in it.

"Husband! Shampoo brought delicious ramen. While Ranma eat it, Shampoo take picture!"

Ranma nodded absently, not caring anymore as he took the ramen and starting eating it at his usual pace, trying to cover his face while Shampoo sat by him and tilted the camera toward them. Shampoo gave a huge smile as she grabbed her husband by the arm and finally snapped a picture of them too.

"Husband finish delicious ramen, yes? With this, Shampoo and husband can eat delicious ice cream together, yes?"

Ranma again nodded absently as he continued to finish the ramen.

As he was eating his ramen, he did not see that above on the roof, the one who hurt him sobbed her heart out as tears fell to the floor. Her glasses on the ground and her clothes slowly getting wet by it.

"Why..why Ranma-kun! Why did you look at me that way...what did I do wrong?! I'm sorry Ranma-kun..I'm so sorry.."

Her hands covered with tears and streaks of it messed up her makeup as she continued to sob. She never wanted to feel this, this was much worse with she was without him, this pain, and the look, the look of betrayal, it was...the abyss.

She sobbed once more as she gave up everything, gave up so much to be here and yet with that look, it made it all fruitless. It was over..

"Please..Kami-sama..I beg you..give me a chance..please.."

Pain etched in both of their hearts as one was turning colder and the other releasing her emotions as she saw that her personal feelings were overcoming her teaching.

  
  


Ranma once again trudged home as he lost what confidence that remained in him for that short while. His heart heavy like a ton of bricks, weighing him down, not wanting to let go. 

"Damn, I bet Ryoga never went through this."

Ranma laughed a little to see if he could cheer himself up, but it didn't work as he sighed once more and without looking, bumped into someone.

Ranma didn't noticed the person, just walked past him, til he heard his name being called.

"Yo, Ranma, you going to bump me and not say hi?"

Ranma turned his head to see his friend, Hikaru standing before him.

"Oh, Hikaru....hi."

Hikaru stared at Ranma, then shrugged a bit.

"You look down man, you okay?"

Ranma nodded his head.

"I'm fine...just fine..."

Hikaru sighed.

He quickly grabbed Ranma's arm and hauled him to a nearby restaurant, which was a deli.

Ranma surprised at this, but not struggling, just followed Hikaru.

Once Hikaru pushed Ranma into a seat, he quickly sat down and ordered a sandwich while waiting for Ranma to order. The waitress turned to Ranma, waiting for it. 

"Well Ranma, order man."

Ranma sighed.

"I don't have any money."

Hikaru shook his head.

"Its all right, I'll pay for it, now order man."

Ranma nodded and finally ordered a sandwich also.

The waitress nodded and quickly wrote that down while rushing to the kitchen to place the order.

Hikaru watched Ranma place his head on the table and saw that look of depression.

"Dude, Ranma, what is bugging you?"

Ranma sighed a bit.

"Nothing Hikaru."

Hikaru stared at Ranma for one second, then his eyes started gleaming as he smirked.

"Girl problems?"

Ranma's head jerked up immediately.

"Girl problems? Uh..no...no way! Me! No.."

Hikaru started laughing and with that voice of laughter, Ranma saw his friend teasing him, that light laughter, prompted him to laugh. So friendship was renewed once more as their light hearted laughter seem to quench the thirst of happiness.

Hikaru smiled as the sandwiches were brought.

"Glad to see your okay now."

Ranma nodded as he ate his sandwich with gusto.

Hikaru then stood up and dropped a couple yen on the table.

"Well then Ranma, you know we are friends, if you ever want to talk, I'm here man. Well I'll be seeing you later, I have some deliveries to make."

With a wave of goodbye, once more the friends departed to their own business.

Ranma tried to sleep, but something kept pushing him.

He shifted his body back and forth, trying to ignore the push and finally it stopped. He relaxed his body and smiled in bliss, to get his peaceful slumber, but that was not to be as a mallet smashed into his head, forcing him to wake up. 

"OW! What the hell?!"

Ranma jerked his head around as he clutched his head. Finally with the dizziness slowly fading, he turned to who hit him and saw that mallet being held by Akane Tendo.

"You jerk, I told you to wake up, but you wouldn't, so its your fault for being hit."

Ranma sighed.

"My fault? How can it be my fault you uncute..."

Akane quickly shook her head as she put her hand over his lips to shut him up.

"Be quiet. Now come on."

Ranma sighed a bit as he got up and followed Akane while his head was still a slight dizzy from the blow.

"What do you want?"

Akane didn't speak, but grabbed Ranma's hand and pulled him down to the open porch. She quickly gestured him to sit, which he did.

Ranma stared at Akane at what was going on.

"What are we waiting here for?"

Akane smiled a bit.

"You will see."

Ranma sat there, wondering what was going on, until Akane lifted her hand and pointed outward.

"Look Ranma, look up there."

Ranma turned his head up to see the sky, watching the night slowly fading, the darkness turning into purple, then to red, as the sun was beginning to rise. The night was fleeing and the day was coming.

It was a beautiful sunrise, something that Ranma hasn't seen for awhile. The last time he saw that was when he was training. Once he got to Nerima, he just slept through it, but now he was watching the sun rise once more.

Ranma took a deep breathe to the new day while Akane smiled a bit.

"Its so beautiful..."

Ranma nodded as he saw the day rising forth.

As they watched, they didn't see Nabiki hiding behind a door. She smiled a bit as she watched the two staring out into the sky.

"Good luck with her, Ranma."

Nabiki smirked as she twirled her camera once more.

  
  


The last day of the photo contest was here, as the Furinkan students made a last dash to get their photos.

"Akane! Take a picture with me!"

"Akane! I love you thee!"

Voices of males were heard and then seconds later, screams were heard as fists of fury seem to reign down upon them.

While one side had males screaming, the other side had girls pleading.

"Please Ranma! Take this picture with me!"

"I'll do anything for you Ranma!"

"I love you Ranma!"

Ranma ran as fast as he could, employing every Anything Goes techniques to avoid every female as fast as possible. He had to get away from them. It was enough to have them chasing them for almost a week, but this last day was a killer. Everyone was making that mad dash.

Kuno appeared holding his camera and a dozen roses.

"Come my fierce tigress, let us court and take this beautiful picture."

But all he met was a fist to the face and he was now airborne.

Thus the chaotic school of Furinkan High was rolling once more.

  


As the last bell rang, the students quickly ran out to get their photos developed and delivered to PhotoStar. 

While that happened, Ranma slowly lurched out of his desk. He was far more tired than he ever was. Tired from running away from the girls, fighting his rivals who thought he was cheating or seducing girls, and avoided fatal death glomps that appeared everywhere.

With a mental groan, he lifted himself from the chair.

As he slowly got up, he looked down to see a pair of feet before him. Slowly he lifted his eyes up to see the pants and then the vest with the green brooch, and then the face...it was his teacher.

"Mizuho-sensei..."

Ranma turned his head away from her.

Mizuho flushed a bit, afraid and embarrassed at the same time. She cried her out once more last night, but she decided what to do. She knew what she had to do.

"Ranma-kun.."

Ranma shook his head as he stared at her.

"What do you want sensei?"

Mizuho winced at that voice and she winced even more since she didn't hear her name.

"Um..well..ano..I wanted...to.."

Ranma's eyes hardened as his blue-gray eyes met hers. A battle of emotions waves upon both of them as they stared at one another.

"What do you want?"

With a firm voice, Ranma was trying to be serious, but deep down he was aching, just like her.

"Um..I wanted..to apologize.."

Ranma's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Mizuho-sensei?"

Mizuho sighed as she watched Ranma.

"I'm sorry Ranma-kun, when I sent you out to stand outside. I thought it was best for you to do so, because I value education. I am a teacher after all, but the way I did it, did not seem very effective."

Ranma stared at Mizuho who was trembling slightly. With a hand in back of his head, he chuckled a bit.

"Actually I should be sorry."

Mizuho was now the one surprised as she watched Ranma laugh a bit.

"Its my fault for sleeping, so I guess I deserve it."

Mizuho smiled a bit as she nodded in appreciation. Then she giggled a bit to his chuckle and soon they were both laughing.

It was funny how laughter can change people's mood and it had happened twice to Ranma Saotome. As he encountered his good friend and now laughing with the teacher of his. He did not know what he felt, but one thing was for sure, he can laugh it off.

  
  


Ranma smirked as he leaned on the porch once more. He was leaning there ever since dinner was over. The sun has died down and the moon shown brightly. He smirked a bit as he stared at the sky. The stars were slowly appearing it was really lighting up the sky. It was almost pretty as the time when he was watching the sunrise.

Little did he know that someone was watching the night sky.

Akane Tendo smiled as she looked above. She cuddled P-chan while just stared about there.

"Today had a good start, you know that P-chan, I had a good day, though the afternoon wasn't that great. The dumb jerks wanted to try taking my picture again...and stupid Kuno tried to get me."

P-chan snorted in anger as he vowed to deal the vengeance on those that want to hurt her.

"But its all right, because the day was still good..."

Akane smiled a bit, recalling the sunrise and that pleasant moment.

Ranma closed his eyes and was about to go to sleep when he heard the phone ring.

Kasumi picked it up and talked softly to the phone for a few seconds, but then turned to Ranma.

"Ranma, its for you."

Ranma quickly got up and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

The voice on the other side responded.

"Yo Ranma, its me Hikaru."

Ranma smiled.

"Whats up?"

Hikaru's voice sounded worried as he started talking.

"I need a big favor Ranma, a big favor..."

Ranma bit his lip, but this was his friend and he knew that he had to help, after all Hikaru helped him plenty of times, this is the least he can do to pay back his friendship.

"Sure, whats up?"

Hikaru sighed in relief.

"Thanks Ranma, I need you to pick up my uncle's camera from the PhotoStar shop and take it to his house. I would deliver it, but I don't have the time right now. I'm too busy dealing with the films that were recently sent in from the contest and I need to make composites of them. You can do it right?"

Ranma smirked.

"No problem, just give me the address of your place and your uncle's and I'll be there in no time."

  
  


Ranma raced down the park while holding onto the camera. Hikaru's uncle needed it for a photo session tomorrow and he needed it tonight to set up the camera and the equipment.

As Ranma was running as fast as he can, he heard the sound of rumbling in the sky. Ranma looked up to see the clouds above were darkening and the sounds were growing louder.

"Damn it, not now, not at this time."

But he couldn't control nature as he raced against the upcoming storm. As he raced past a few more trees, he heard a cry of help.

Quickly zeroing in on the source of the cry, he raced down to the river embankment. Once he got there, he was shocked to see a person down by the river, clutching her ankle.

Gritting his teeth he leaped off the ground and landed on the river embankment with ease and grace.

Once he did that, he ran to see who it was. With a tap on her shoulder, the female turned around and gasped at him.

"Ranma-kun?"

Ranma was shocked to see her on the embankment.

"Um, Mizuho-sensei? How..how did you get here?"

Mizuho gulped in embarrassment as she looked around.

"I..I rather not say."

Ranma narrowed his eyes, but shrugged it off. If she didn't want to reveal it, fine with him. He got on his knees and saw that Mizuho's ankle was slightly swollen.

"Oh man, you bruised your ankle."

Mizuho nodded as she tried to stand.

Ranma quickly shook his head.

"Don't get up, you going to make it worse..."

Quickly as he slung the camera over his shoulder as he used both of his hands to lift up Mizuho-sensei in a way that looked like a groom was carrying her bride. Mizuho saw this and blushed.

"Ran...Ranma-kun! What are you do..doing?"

Ranma shook his head.

"Getting you out of here. A storm is brewing and it will be bad if you stay here."

Mizuho nodded her head.

"Quick, take the camera and I'll get you out of here."

Mizuho grabbed it and clutched it to herself as Ranma sprinted as fast as he can, hoping the water wouldn't touch him, because he didn't want to transform in front of her. But as he ran, the clouds rumbled even louder as the clouds were slowly opening and the first drop of rain were slowly coming down.

"Damn it, the rain is coming."

Mizuho pointed up ahead.

"There is a bridge a few meters ahead, we can hide under there until the rain stops."

Without any other ideas, Ranma nodded his head as he raced off over there, but as he picked up speed, Mizuho's finger couldn't properly hold onto the camera as the winds were starting to smash into them both. Finally with a gasp of fright, she dropped the camera to the ground while Ranma was running.

"Ranma, the camera!"

Ranma shook his head.

"Never mind that, I don't want us to get sick! Our lives are more important than that camera."

Though he felt that way, he had a sinking feeling that Hikaru and his uncle won't be too pleased about this. 

Finally he reached under the bridge as he was holding onto Mizuho. As he got there, finally the rain started to pour down, but none it touched them as they stood under the bridge.

"Hehe, what a rush."

Mizuho smiled a bit.

"Yes..thank you Ranma-kun."

Ranma nodded.

"Its a martial artist duty to help the weak."

Mizuho giggled.

"Is that all?"

Ranma chuckled a bit as she saw her giggle.

She was beautiful, Ranma thought, seeing her pink hair and the way her body was close to his, he could feel her warmth, her happiness, and her life as he was holding onto her. As he was holding her, he didn't realize that was the same feeling she was thinking as she was holding onto him, not wanting to fall, but also not wanting to let go.

They both smiled a bit as their eyes met and both saw sincerity and kindness in it. While they smiled, Mizuho suddenly started giggling.

"Ranma-kun...you look so cute."

Ranma's eyes widened.

"I'm...I'm cute?"

Mizuho nodded.

"Yes, Ranma-kun, you're cute, no wonder all the girls come after you.

Ranma smirked a bit, then chuckled.

Soon that giggle and chuckle went into laughter as they laughed under the bridge and never noticed the rain that seem to pour down. To them, the laughter and them being together was everything. Everything else cease to exist as they laughed as a man and woman sound. The laugh of happiness...the laugh..of love.

Their laughter rang out to the night, as the misery and gloominess of storms were wiped off and happiness and mirth was dawning into the dark clouds as they slowly were turning back...to a fluffy white.

  
  


Ranma smiled, recalling the incident while waiting for the bell to ring. Luckily the camera didn't break nor did it get damage at all. Plus the Hikaru's uncle paid him extra for delivering the camera and enduring the rain. That was a lucky night for him for many reasons and some that he would never tell, but keep to himself. Once it rang, everyone shuffled out to the courtyard for the announcement.

"Come on!"

"The winner is being announced!"

"The ice cream is mine!"

Students raced out of the building as they rush to the courtyard to see who won, but the only one who didn't run out was one happy martial artist. With a chuckle to his teacher who giggled back at him, he left the classroom, walked down the hall, and finally reached the stairs.

With a leap, he was down to the lower level and went to get his bento.

While he did, Mizuho-sensei smiled and touched her chest. Her feelings never stopped and she never was going to let go of what happened. That moment she can never forget. It was a never forgetting moment.

She quickly walked to the open window and let the gentle wind blow her hair as she watched the sky above.

"Thank you Kami-sama...for giving me..that chance.."

  


Ranma finally got out of the building and watched the Furinkan students yelling and screaming at one another.

"NO! That can't be!"

"How was that possible!!"

"My picture with Ranma was perfect!"

"Yes..this..this picture is so..so..damn romantic!"

Ranma jerked his head to the sound of his name and quickly head over to the wall that announced the winner of the photo contest. Again since he couldn't get past the crowd, he leapt past them all and quickly landed in front of them as he stared at the large poster that almost seem to fill the wall.

His eyes widened in shock as he saw it.

"Yatta! I won!"

One of the girls raised her hand triumphantly, actually more like her spatula.

Ranma's jaw dropped as he stared at the picture.

The picture was of him and Ucchan sitting together, drinking out of the smoothie with one cup and two straws. They both had happy looks on their face and seem like they were enjoying themselves.

"I knew it! I knew that Ran-chan and I would win!"

Ranma gulped to see the picture, but that didn't worry him, what worried him was that sinking feeling he had, that was behind him...

"Ran..maaaaaa....!!!"

"Oh crap..."

Ranma turned around to see Akane in her righteous fury as she hefted her mallet and her eyes filled with malice and hate as she swung it with all its worth to smash into Ranma's face and ejecting him off to the stratosphere.

"YOU PERVERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Akane fumed as she stomped away, but as she came into the building, she dropped her mallet and sighed.

"I didn't win.."

But then she smiled a bit as her eyes seem to be of a caring mood as she fished into her pocket and stared at the picture.

"Or did I?"

  
  


"Hey Hikaru, come here for a second."

Hikaru washed his hand as he approached his uncle.

"Yea Uncle Shin?"

"Are these the pictures from the Furinkan High?"

The owner of PhotoStar Studios shifted through the pictures to see what couples looked good or not.

Hikaru nodded as he went back to his work to develop a picture.

The owner shifted through a couple and let off a sigh.

"What is this? Some of these pictures show a girl beating up guys? And its the same girl?"

Hikaru sweated a bit.

"Er...yeah."

"Eh, almost all these girls pictures is with this one guy with a pigtail and looks like he is wearing Chinese clothes."

"Er..."

Hikaru sweated even more as he finished developing a photo.

"Well, yeah...but they do look fine..somewhat."

Shin nodded as he looked through a few more and then finally lifted up one of them.

"Wow, so this was the winner eh?" 

Hikaru nodded.

"I really liked the picture, it contained that happy attitude and romantic atmosphere, but it was still down to earth."

He nodded until he found another one.

"This sun rising one wasn't that bad. Hey isn't that girl the one beating up all the guys?"

Hikaru sweated once more.

"Yeah it was..." 

Shin stroked his chin.

"Still it was quite a piece of work. Someone must have been paid to take this picture of them two. Nice professional quality though."

Hikaru nodded his head in agreement.

As he was still looking he couldn't help notice in the corner of his eye that there was a picture lying alone on a table.

He quickly walked up to it and picked it up. With a gasp he stared at it.

"Hikaru. This...this picture?"

Hikaru nodded.

"Yeah, I loved this one."

Shin stared at it.

"It would have won, but it broke a rule."

Shin nodded his head.

Hikaru took the picture as he looked at it.

"This one had it all, the love, the happiness, and the compassion as the couple seem to overflow with it, though their surroundings seem to be of misery. This picture was everything and had it all, if it didn't break that night rule."

Hikaru sighed, but then smiled as he hung it up on his private collection.

"Good luck, I hope whatever happens, you get that person. I think both of you deserve each other and it shows just from this single picture. Good luck, old friend."

Hikaru smiled at as he looked at the picture one last time and turned to do more filming.

If one looked closely, one would see that nice picture of a person carrying a female in the rain, with laughter and happiness etched in both of them as they both had one another.

  
  


End of Chapter 3

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Author's Note: Bleh, I'm done! It has been nearly a year that I have been busy with my work and thus made me avoid my fanfictions, but with a bit of encouraging from some reviewers and some people from #shards, I had to say, thanks. To Groki aka Figment, thanks for the preread, revising my chapter was surely needed. ^_^ I know this chapter is waffy, but I wanted to do it. Anyways tune in for the next episode! Hopefully once I get around to it.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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